Vacation Days
by DB Sommer
Summary: Mihoshi is ordered to go on vacation and decides to ask Tenchi along. What trouble could the possibly get into on something as simple as a little holiday?
1. Default Chapter Title

  
"Mihoshi, I've got good news for you." The delighted face of Lieutenant Shingo, Mihoshi's direct supervisor announced from the primary viewscreen of her ship. "You have some vacation time coming up. In fact, you have a lot of vacation time coming up. Six months. Isn't that wonderful?"  
  
Mihoshi, sitting cross-legged at her seat, clad in only a set of white shorts and a loose, sleeveless, blue top, stared in confusion at the screen. "I do?"  
  
"Of course," the bubbly delight radiating from the man would have alerted just about anyone else that something was not quite right with what was happening. Supervisors were never that happy with giving their subordinates vacation time. "You've been with the Galaxy Police for four years now, and you haven't taken a single day of leave, not even for illness."  
  
"That's because there are still lots of criminals out there to stop. It wouldn't seem right for me to take a vacation if my job wasn't finished," Mihoshi explained.  
  
Shingo was about to ask what she meant by that, then thought better of it, considering that the explanation would undoubtedly confuse things further. "Well, your vacation days are piling up, and some of the officers in accounting want you to use them so they don't throw off the pay schedule."  
  
Mihoshi considered that. "Does that mean I'll be pulled off duty from patrolling the Solar System?"  
  
There was a momentary blank stare upon Shingo's face. In a small voice he said, "Of course it does. You'll be on vacation. That means you won't be at work. We'll assign someone else to look over your sector while you kick back and relax somewhere in the universe far, far away from work."  
  
"I don't want to go."  
  
Shingo's face began to twitch slightly. "What do you mean 'you don't want to go'? We're talking about a six month paid vacation. Most agents don't get that much vacation time in a decade."  
  
"Then how did I get so much?"  
  
Even through the viewscreen, a slight sheen of sweat became visible as it broke out on the lieutenant's brow. "Ah, it's for the exemplary work you've done in the time you've been in the department. Look at how many cases you've solved and criminal organizations you've single-handedly brought down."  
  
Mihoshi brightened at the praise. "I have been sort of busy, haven't I?"  
  
"Yes, yes," Shingo cooed. "You're the most infamous...I mean famous, Galaxy Police Detective in our entire bureau. And like all such, ah, heroes, you've earned a break from the front lines. You wouldn't want to burn out any more than you already hav... I mean, you wouldn't want to burn out, would you?"  
  
"No," Mihoshi said slowly, wondering what he had meant when he had originally said she had been burned out. True, her performance ratings had been down the last year, even Kagato had heard about that, but she was not 'burned out.' It probably was just a mistake on the lieutenant's part.  
  
"But I still don't want to go," Mihoshi insisted.  
  
"Why in the name of Juraian Dutch Elm Disease not?"  
  
Mihoshi began to blush slightly. How could she tell the lieutenant that it was because if she had to take a vacation, she wouldn't get to be with Tenchi? She couldn't just come out and say it; people would talk. "Umm, I can't because of personal reasons. And it doesn't have anything to do with me not wanting to be apart from Tenchi." She let out a sigh of relief. The lieutenant wouldn't suspect a thing now.   
  
Shingo took a deep breath, trying to keep his face from twitching. "Look, this is a direct order. You have to go on vacation."  
  
"But-"  
  
"No buts!" The picture of the lieutenant's face ballooned to five times its original size as he moved right next to the imager and shouted. "Go! Get out of here! I don't want to see your face for another six months! Do you understand?! I don't want to hear the name 'Mihoshi Kuramitsu' uttered, read, translated, cried out in agony, or mentioned in any way! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!!!"   
  
"Yes, sir," Mihoshi said from her position of cowering under the console.  
  
The lieutenant's face went back to normal. "Good. You're now on leave." The viewscreen winked out.  
  
  
Half a galaxy away, Shingo sighed, "It's done."  
  
And at Galaxy Police Headquarters, a resounding cheer of triumph rose up from a thousand different voices.  
  
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Vacation Days  
Chapter 1  
  
  
A Tenchi Muyo! Fic  
This uses the OVA continuity.   
  
Any and all C+C craved for. You can contact me at  
sommer@3rdm.net  
  
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Tenchi Muyo! materials   
  
All of my stuff is now stored at:  
http://angcobra.jumpfun.com/dbsommer.html  
  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
Had anyone been outside on the grounds of the Masaki 'Estate', they would have seen a depressed Mihoshi walking about aimlessly. It wasn't her usual full fledged waterworks depression, but an uncharacteristic somberness that would have made even Washuu say, "Hey, Bubblehead, what's wrong?"   
  
To which Mihoshi would have replied, "I don't want to go on vacation because I'll miss Tenchi." At that point, Washuu would have said something in that sweet, motherly voice she used on Ryouko. A phrase like, "get over it," or something similar.  
  
However, no one was around, so Mihoshi was left alone in her thoughts, which she did have, regardless of what some people believed. She had not been on a vacation for years, not since she lived with her parents, right before going through the Galaxy Police Training Academy five years ago. Where would she go? What should she do?  
  
"It's not fair," Mihoshi sniffled to herself. There was no way to get out of a direct order from her supervisor. She was being forced on vacation. She needed help. Asking Aeka or Ryouko's advice on the matter probably wouldn't be a good idea; they seemed to think that the less time she spent with Tenchi, the better. They'd just tell her to go to the outer rim or something. She didn't feel comfortable asking Yosho. Even Washuu didn't seem right. But there was one person Mihoshi could always turn to.  
  
It was time to call her mother.  
  
Her mother always gave good advice, and it had been months since Mihoshi had last spoken to her. Also, she was an expert on vacations, having organized and arranged trips for the family all of her life. She'd know what to do.  
  
Mihoshi entered the house and went to the newly reconstructed 'Washuu's Super Special Intergalactic Phone'. The one without the self-destruct switch, which Tenchi had insisted on, much to Washuu's annoyance.   
  
Picking up the receiver, Mihoshi dialed the fifteen digit number needed to get the Intergal Connector service so that she could reach her parent's star system. The phone rang only once before it was answered by a deep, husky, "Hello."  
  
Mihoshi's eyebrows furrowed slightly. Her mother's voice was usually high-pitched. "Mommy?"  
  
After a moment, the voice on the other end said, "Sure, I can be your Mommy. I just need a debit card number from you first. Universal Express, Stargazer's Trump, or any gold card will do."  
  
Mihoshi looked at the phone in confusion. That was a very strange request for her mother to make. "Would Royal Juraian Imperial Plus do?"  
  
"Of course,"  
  
Mihoshi rattled off the number she had memorized from the one time she had seen Aeka's debit card.  
  
"Now then, what would you like your mommy to do to you?" the voice asked.  
  
Again her mother's voice, as well as speech pattern, was inconsistent with Mihoshi's memories, even if it had been a while since they had last spoken to one another. "I need advice."  
  
"Oh? Have you been a naughty girl?"  
  
"Ah, not really." Mihoshi felt a blush rise to her cheeks. Her mother had a tendency to ask intimate Mihoshi about her social life and wondered if she had any romantic interests since she was already twenty-three and hadn't found a decent lover yet. It was a bit awkward for the Galaxy Police officer. Her mother tended to be somewhat sexually aggressive, and thought her daughter should be that way too. Actually, her mother's attitude towards that sort of thing was very reminiscent of Ryouko's, when it came right down to it. For that reason Mihoshi had felt reluctant to mention Tenchi to her. There was no telling what ideas her mother might have come up with had she learned there was someone Mihoshi was interested in.  
  
"Are you sure you don't need a spanking?" the voice on the end of the line asked?  
  
"What?!"   
  
"I think you're calling me because you're a naughty girl," the voice continued in its husky tone. "I think what you need is a good spanking. And then I'll-"  
  
Mihoshi was only able to listen to two of the 'suggestions' before she held the receiver away from her ear.  
  
Aeka came walking by, then paused a moment to take in the unusual scene before her. "What's going on?"  
  
"It's for you." Mihoshi handed Aeka the receiver and ran off. There was no way that person on the other end could be her mother.   
  
Mihoshi only made it as far as the door to Washuu's lab before a piercing scream cried out, "NO! I MOST CERTAINLY WOULD NOT LIKE TO BE SMACKED AROUND LIKE THE BITCH THAT I AM!!!" which was followed by the sound of someone blasting Washuu's phone into two hundred thousand tiny pieces.  
  
For a moment, Mihoshi considered dropping by Washuu's lab, but then thought better of it. All too often it seemed Washuu's experiments backfired, and then she'd be in a foul mood all day and would take it out on the Galaxy Police officer, even though whatever Mihoshi did really was an accident. She was going to have to come up with another idea.   
  
Wandering around eventually took her outside once again. The day was still clear, so Mihoshi decided to walk around, hoping the fresh air might give her some insight on how to solve her dilemma.  
  
The carefully cultivated grounds of the temple area gave way to the carrot fields below the shrine. It was there Mihoshi came across Tenchi. He was wearing a pair of faded jeans and a gray short-sleeved shirt, and was working on a row of carrots with a hoe. Mihoshi could see a sheen of perspiration on his brow, the blue headband he wore failing to soak up the moisture. Ryo-Ohki stood several feet behind Tenchi, waiting anxiously for any carrots that might be thrown her way.  
  
Tenchi looked up from his work to see the newcomer approach. "Hi, Mihoshi."  
  
"Hello, Tenchi."  
  
Tenchi went back to using his hoe, missing the depressed tone in Mihoshi's voice. "What are you up to today?"  
  
"I have to go on vacation," Mihoshi sighed.  
  
Tenchi looked up from his work. "Vacation, huh? I sure wouldn't mind going on one myself."  
  
Mihoshi's head jerked slightly. Was that what she thought he had said? "You would?"  
  
"Yeah, I haven't been on one in a while." He rested his hands on the top of the hoe as he stared off at the horizon, his eyes taking on a distant glaze. "I always used to come here for my summer vacations and train with grandfather, only since the house got transported out here, I get to do it year round now. I don't think we can call it a vacation anymore."  
  
"I think you're right," Mihoshi said. There was an idea forming on the periphery of her mind, but it was still too far away to make out.   
  
Tenchi's gaze remained far off. "I remember there was one time me and Dad, four years or so ago, took a vacation to the beach. We were only there for a couple of days, but it was pretty fun. Well, except for Dad ogling and commenting on all of the girls in their bathing suits. That kind of put a damper on things."  
  
"So you like the beach?" The idea was continuing to draw closer. It was almost there.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"The beaches on Aqua Regia are the best in the universe," Mihoshi said brightly. Her eyes took on a similar, distant gaze as Tenchi's. "Over ninety five percent of the surface of the planet is covered with water, and most of the landmasses are only small islands. The sand there is soft and smooth, like baby powder, and when it goes through your toes, it makes you want to laugh and play all day. My parents took me there when I was little, so I know."  
  
"It sounds neat," Tenchi said, now trying to imagine the scene Mihoshi was describing. Surprisingly, he found it very easy to picture in his mind, though Mihoshi's description was somewhat plain.  
  
"It is," Mihoshi assured him. "And the water there is crystal clear and you can see for hundreds of feet in it. The planet is full of billions of beautiful fishes. There's supposed to be more species there than anywhere else in the universe. And they have the best seafood in the galaxy there too."  
  
Tenchi mopped the sweat from his brow. "It sounds like paradise. I sure wouldn't mind seeing it."  
  
At last the idea came into focus for Mihoshi. "Tenchi?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Would you like to go with me to Aqua Regia?"  
  
The offer caught Tenchi off guard. "You're asking me to go on a vacation with you?"  
  
Mihoshi went from staring at Tenchi to looking at the ground and kicking at tiny stones. "Well, you're not going anywhere on your summer break and you said you wanted to go to the beach since you like the beach and I'd like to go to the beach since I like the beach too-"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"-I thought it would be a really good idea since then we'd both be going to the beach-  
  
"Okay."  
  
"-and I don't want to have to go on vacation all alone because then I'd be lonely-"  
  
"Mihoshi, I said okay!"  
  
At last, the statement registered with Mihoshi. "You'd really like to go?"  
  
"Sure," Tenchi said, glad at last to get a word in edgewise. "I'll have to check with Dad and Grandpa first, but if it's okay with them, I'll go. It sounds like it would be a lot of fun."  
  
"All right. Let's go ask them." Mihoshi grabbed Tenchi's arm and, over his protests, proceeded to drag him all the way to the temple.  
  
  
A pair of chopsticks snapped. Yosho examined the broken pieces of wood in his hand, then memorized every detail of his meager belongings in the temple in which he sat. One never knew how much longer such things would last, especially with the company the family had been keeping of late. He began concentrating in earnest, until he came to a conclusion.  
  
"Ryouko," he said out loud.  
  
Exactly three seconds later, Mihoshi slid open the door to the temple and rushed inside with Tenchi still being dragged along by the arm. With a loud thump, she collapsed into a cross-legged position across the table before the older man. Tenchi fell on his side next to her.   
  
Yosho gave a sigh. "And here I had been sure it was Ryouko's turn."  
  
"What was that?" Tenchi and Mihoshi asked at the same time.  
  
"Nothing." Yosho gave a dismissive gesture with his hand. "What brings the two of you here? You both look like you have something you'd like to ask me." Actually, Mihoshi was literally bouncing up and down, while still in her sitting position, in nervous anticipation. Tenchi was more subdued, but did appear a little anxious.  
  
Tenchi's hand found its way to the back of his head. "Well, you see, Mihoshi sort of wanted to know if I wanted to go on a little trip with her. To a beach, and I thought it would be kind of fun, but that I ought to check with you and Dad first."  
  
"How very responsible of you, Tenchi," Yosho said in earnest. "Most young men of your age would jump at the opportunity to go off to a beach with a young woman such as our own Mihoshi."  
  
"Grandpa! It's not like that!" Tenchi protested as Mihoshi giggled while turning bright red.  
  
"Really, we're just going on vacation," Mihoshi insisted, though her giggling wouldn't stop.  
  
"Well, as long as she promises not to take advantage of you, I see no problem."  
  
"I'd never do that," Mihoshi said, while Tenchi took his turn to blush with embarrassment. He suddenly had a bad feeling about what was happening. Maybe going on a vacation with Mihoshi wasn't such a good idea. However, he couldn't just back out; Mihoshi would be crushed. Bucking up his courage, he pushed the doubts from his mind.  
  
  
It was only a little while later that the duo made their way to the main house without being accosted by anyone, or anything. "I hope things go better with Dad," Tenchi muttered to himself, still not quite over his grandfather's odd need to embarrass him. If it was Ryouko, okay, getting the promise might have been justified. But making Mihoshi promise that? Implying she'd try to do anything with him was about as likely as Ryo-Ohki becoming rabid.  
  
Just as Tenchi opened the door to the house, a small gray cabbit rushed between his legs and made a beeline for the woods. Naturally, she had a great deal of white foam coming from her mouth, even going so far as to leave behind little splotches in the direction she had run from.  
  
"Tenchi, why are you covering your eyes and saying, 'I didn't see that,' over and over again?" Mihoshi asked.   
  
She didn't get an answer as Ryouko phased through the wall of the house and onto the porch. She floated in the air and scanned the area with her eyes. "You two see a little cabbit running around in a mad frenzy out here?"  
  
Tenchi murmured, "Nope," while keeping his hands over his eyes. Mihoshi said "Sure," and pointed in the direction Ryo-Ohki had taken.  
  
"Thanks," Ryouko said, then flew off at top speed in the direction Mihoshi had indicated. "Get back here, you little ingrate! With that special stuff Washuu made, we only need to brush your teeth once a year! It ain't that big of a deal! Do you want your teeth to fall out so you can't eat every carrot in sight!" Ryouko wielded her toothbrush like a sword as she flew off, her voice fading in the distance.  
  
"Heh. I never like to brush my teeth either. Let's go, Tenchi." Mihoshi grabbed Tenchi by the arm and led him into the house.  
  
  
Night had fallen as Tenchi lay back in his bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering exactly what he had managed to get himself into this time. Asking his father's permission had been an even worse experience than it had with his grandfather. Not only had he slapped Tenchi on the back and congratulated him on finally becoming a 'real man', but after Mihoshi had skipped out of the room, he had given Tenchi a little 'gift' to make sure nothing unplanned happened as a result of his trip.   
  
Tenchi held the gift above his head. He pulled one of the wrapped objects from out of the box. "And for what exactly does he think I'm going to need a box of condoms for?"  
  
It was at that moment hat Ryouko's face appeared from out of the headboard of Tenchi's bed. "Hi Tenchi," she greeted as the rest of her body followed. "I was about to go to sleep when I realized we hadn't had a chance to see each other all day. And I...YES! You've finally come to your senses and realized I'm the one for you! And you even brought protection. That's so sweet and thoughtful of you." In a flash the condom was ripped out of Tenchi's hand and ended up in Ryouko's.  
  
"No!" Tenchi shouted out. "It's not what you think."  
  
"Ohh, they're extra-large too. Looks like I'm in for a real treat tonight."  
  
"That isn't mine," Tenchi insisted, even if it was technically untrue.  
  
"Now, now," Ryouko's cat-like purr made Tenchi's response to cower under his sheets a little, the all too familiar role of being Ryouko's prey once again settling over him. She continued hovering over him, saying, "No need for shyness. I'll even put it on for you." She ripped the covers off Tenchi, peeling away the first barrier and allowing herself the opportunity to savor the sight: Tenchi in just the tight, black pants he always wore to bed. She licked her lips in anticipation of what was to come next.  
  
Tenchi hopped off the bed and began backing up towards the door. He hoped that by keeping eye contact with Ryouko, she wouldn't try to charge him. "Ryouko-"  
  
"Gimme the pants, big boy."   
  
Tenchi found his hopes dashed as she flew towards him. He tried turning around and making for the door only to have her tackle him from behind. He ended up on the floor, but didn't hit hard as he felt Ryouko pull him up slightly at the last second, keeping him from slamming into the wooden boards. He lay prone with his stomach on the floor as he felt Ryouko's weight settle high on the back of his legs, her superior strength easily pinning him to the ground. As he tried struggling in vain, he heard the sound of a wrapper being torn.  
  
"Time for Mr. Happy to put on his rubbers since he's going to get all wet real soon."  
  
Tenchi could feel the smile on Ryouko's face. He ceased his struggling and craned his neck as far back as he could. Only out of the corner of his eye was he able to see her. "Ryouko, knock it off."  
  
"But Tenchi," she whined as she ran her free hand along his backside. "You can't be having second thoughts."  
  
"Yes, I am," Tenchi insisted, glad that he had at last gotten through to her.  
  
"Fine," she said with a note of resignation in her voice. "We'll go without the condom."  
  
"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEA-"   
  
And then the door to his room flew open, revealing a gateway to the deepest, darkest pit of perdition that no human being's mind could fathom for fear of having their souls sucked out of them and being driven insane.  
  
At least that was the reaction Tenchi had at seeing the look on Aeka's face.   
  
Aeka actually waited a full .4 seconds to take in the scene before actually leveling an accusing finger at Ryouko. "How dare you try to force yourself upon Lord Tenchi and work such evil deeds upon him!"  
  
"Hey now! Don't get jealous just because Tenchi cares enough about me to get the kind of protection a girl wants. It's even lubricated too."  
  
"Protection?" Aeka's anger was stifled for the briefest of moments as she looked at the object in Ryouko's hand. Once it was successfully identified, the anger returned, tripled "Then I was right! You are trying to rape him! I forbid a demon such as yourself from fornicating with my Lord Tenchi!" A ring of tiny logs appeared around Aeka.  
  
Ryouko got up and grabbed Tenchi by the back of his pants. As though he was a feather, Ryouko lifted him up and casually tossed him onto his bed. "Better stay out of this, Tenchi. Some gals just can't stand the idea they lost to the better woman." The jewel on her wrist began to glow in response to Aeka's increasing display of power.  
  
"Not in the room!" was the best Tenchi thought he could do as he saw the twin looks of anger each girl was directing to the other. Some nuclear explosives couldn't be defused; he had resigned himself to that fate long ago.  
  
He almost got his wish, as Aeka's first blast caught Ryouko in the chest and threw her outside. Aeka followed, screaming 'ladylike' obscenities at her opponent. Examining the damage, he thought he had gotten off lucky with only a twelve foot diameter hole in his wall.  
  
Sasami and Mihoshi appeared in the doorway to his room. Sasami was wearing a loose nightgown that was long enough to touch the floor. Mihoshi wore a partially buttoned men's shirt that was long enough to touch her bottom. At least Ryouko and Aeka weren't around to misinterpret her presence as well.  
  
"Were they giving you a late night going away party?" Mihoshi asked.  
  
"Sort of," Tenchi replied. All of a sudden, he was looking forward to getting away from it all. Although it might be best to have Ryouko and Aeka find out about his vacation after he had left, considering the effect his little retreat might have on them.  
  
  
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
Well, it's my first serious attempt at non-Ranma related material. Let me know what you think.   
  
Also special thanks to KaraOhki for looking over this part.   
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Default Chapter Title

Vacation Days   
Chapter 2  
  
  
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I'll warn you this is a good bit more serious than the last chapter.   
  
All C+C appreciated. You can contact me at sommer@3rdm.net  
  
All of my works, including previous chapters of this, can be found at.   
http://angcobra.jumpfun.com/dbsommer.html  
  
  
The morning sun had broken the horizon not more than half an hour earlier as the handful of people gathered to see Tenchi and Mihoshi off.   
  
"It looks like only Grandpa, Dad, and Sasami are here to say goodbye." Thank god, Tenchi silently added.  
  
"Miya."  
  
"And you too, Ryo-Ohki," Tenchi apologized to the cabbit standing next to Sasami. A pang of guilt shot through him at the idea of being glad the other three girls weren't there, but in an unusual gesture, his common sense scolded him for being naïve enough to believe anything good would have come if they had been present to see him off.   
  
"Actually, I dropped by Washuu's lab and said goodbye already," Mihoshi said.   
  
"You did?" Tenchi had wondered why the redheaded scientist wasn't there. Aeka and Ryouko were probably exhausted from their late night carousing, but to his knowledge Washuu hadn't done anything that would have prevented her from being there.   
  
As if reading his mind, Mihoshi said, "She was sort of all tied up in one of her projects. She told me to say goodbye for her. At least I think that was what she was trying to tell me. She was mumbling a lot and was hard to understand."  
  
The image of Mihoshi entering the lab, touching a button, and having some machine whip out metal coils that bound and gagged the short scientist intruded itself upon Tenchi's mind. The whole scenario, as silly as it seemed, somehow fit perfectly with what Mihoshi had said.   
  
Nah. Too obvious. Washuu was probably just in the middle of an experiment and couldn't be interrupted.   
  
Sasami went up to Tenchi and gave him a hug. "I'm going to miss you, Tenchi."  
  
"I'll miss you too." He hugged her back. A "Miya" around Tenchi's ankles gained his attention. He picked up Ryo-Ohki and gave her a hug as well, then placed her on her usual perch on top of Sasami's head. "I'll only be gone a little while. Try to keep Aeka and Ryouko out of trouble."  
  
"Okay." Sasami's mood brightened considerably at her newfound responsibility. "You make sure to have fun on your vacation. Both of you."  
  
"We will," Mihoshi assured her.  
  
It was Yosho's turn to say his farewell. He placed a reassuring hand on Tenchi's shoulder, then bent down so that he could speak softly enough into Tenchi's ear without the others hearing. "Taking time out to review each of the girls alone, without the interference of the others, is a good idea. It'll give you a chance to see if any of them are suitable for you in a long-term relationship."  
  
"Grandpa! That's not why I'm doing this!" Tenchi protested. "I just want a take a little vacation and get a break from this place!"  
  
"Of course you do," Yosho said while adjusting his glasses, making it clear by his tone of voice that he didn't believe a word of it.   
  
Nobuyuki snapped several photos of them as they waved good bye. Tenchi started to make his way up the landing ramp of Mihoshi's space cruiser, then took one last look around to make sure neither Ryouko or Aeka were charging it, hoping to prevent him from taking off. Remarkably, neither of the girls was in sight. It appeared a plan of his might actually work out for a change.   
  
Noticing Tenchi's apprehension, Yosho said, "Don't worry about the others. I'll see to it you have enough time to make good your escape."  
  
"I wish you wouldn't put it in those terms," Tenchi said, even if he did feel like he was making a break out of a prison camp.  
  
The three humans and one cabbit waved as Tenchi and Mihoshi boarded the Yagami and took off. They continued watching until the ship reached the upper atmosphere and the white glow of the engines faded out of sight.  
  
"Do you think they'll be okay?" Sasami asked.  
  
Yosho patted Sasami on the shoulder. "It's just Tenchi and Mihoshi up there this time. I'm sure that whatever happens to them, it won't be all that disastrous. Usually the really bad things only happen when everyone's together."  
  
"That's true," Sasami conceded. "When Aeka and Ryouko find out-"  
  
"-we'll have our hands full around here," Nobuyuki said, entering the conversation. "I have to go to work. Do you two think you can keep the house still standing when I get back? I'd appreciate it."  
  
"No problem," Yosho assured him.  
  
"I thought you gave Tenchi the Master Key," Sasami said.  
  
"Don't you worry," Yosho assured her. "I have other means for diverting their attention at my disposal."   
  
"Okay." As hard as she tried, Sasami could not quite convince herself things were going to go along as peacefully as Yosho was implying.  
  
"I have some experience with women," Yosho said confidently as he turned to go to the house. "I can handle the situation."  
  
  
"Where did he go?!"  
  
"Yes, Brother! You must tell us!"  
  
Yosho held up both hands up in an appeasing manner. Things were not going along quite the way he had wanted. Maybe giving Tenchi the Master Key had not been such a good idea. It appeared he was going to need it far more than Tenchi would.  
  
It wasn't that much of a surprise. He had known the girls were going to be agitated; they both cared a great deal about Tenchi and were concerned that he had neglected to inform them of where he had gone. However, the concept of personal space still eluded them, and neither felt inclined to listen to Yosho's explanations for Tenchi's behavior. The best he thought he could hope for was mollification. So he gathered the girls together in the living room and brought Sasami along as a calming influence. At least that had been the plan.  
  
"Now, now, girls. There's nothing to worry about. Tenchi's just going to be gone for a little while. He'll be back before you know it."  
  
"Whaddaya mean 'there's nothing to worry about'?! Tenchi's been kidnapped!" Ryouko shouted.   
  
"He has not been kidnapped," Sasami said as she sat in a nearby chair with Ryo-Ohki in her lap.   
  
"Of course he has," Aeka insisted. "There must be some sort of deviltry afoot. Had Lord Tenchi desired to go on a holiday with someone, he would have chosen me. As a member of the House of Jurai, we would have had access to the most luxurious of vacations spots in the galaxy. He would have been treated in a manner befitting of the nobility that he is. Then Lord Tenchi and I would have...would have..." Aeka began to turn bright red at the fantasy of the things Tenchi would do with her.   
  
A smack to the back of her head knocked the daydream off course and shifted Aeka back to reality.   
  
"Get real, Princess," Ryouko said. "Tenchi hates all of that uppity snob stuff. He would have gone with me. I know where all of the really fun places to hang out are, and we'd have had a blast. Unlike you, I know how to have a good time."  
  
"How dare you imply Lord Tenchi would debase himself by going somewhere with a vile creature such as yourself!"  
  
"Oh yeah? Well he'd go out with me a hell of a lot sooner than he would with a stuck-up snob like you."  
  
"You flatter yourself. When one has a choice between a monster or a princess, who do you think would be chosen?"  
  
"Since Tenchi has good taste, I think the answer's obvious."  
  
"Indeed, it is," Aeka said, folding her arms under her breasts. "And it certainly would not be with a scatterbrain like Mihoshi."  
  
Ryouko nodded sagely. "Well, if you and I can agree on that, then it's got to be true."  
  
"Mihoshi didn't do anything to Tenchi," Sasami insisted as she finally got a word in during the break in the argument.   
  
"Don't be so certain," Aeka said. "I believe this is a carefully orchestrated plot on Mihoshi's part that somehow has been successfully implemented. Despite outward appearances, she is a Detective First Class among the ranks of the Galaxy Police. You don't achieve that by accident."  
  
The room began to darken as a host of clouds darkened the sun. A dog howled in the distance as the winds began to pick up and lightning flashed outside. With the mood properly set, Aeka eyes almost glowed in the darkness as she began her tale. "There is a sinister scheme afoot. I believe Mihoshi did something dire to influence Lord Tenchi's judgment, perhaps a drug or mechanical device designed to affect his very thoughts. With that heinous deed accomplished, she then approached him when he was particularly susceptible to her suggestions. I'm certain Lord Tenchi tried with all of his might to resist, but he was a helpless thrall before her. After successfully bending his will to hers, she manipulated Ryouko and I into an exhaustive battle, guaranteeing our non-interference. And then, in the early hours of the morning, she ambushed Washuu, eliminating her as an obstruction as well."  
  
Ryouko held up a small, red-haired scientist that was bound and gagged with long metal coils. Washuu's face resembled the shade of her hair as she squirmed against her bonds, incoherent noises issuing from behind the gag.   
  
"We found her like this down in her lab a couple of hours ago." Ryouko shook Washuu around, thrusting her in Yosho, Sasami, and Ryo-Ohki's face. Curiously, that only served to increase Washuu's struggles.   
  
Aeka gave everyone an intense glare. The explanation was complete. At last, action could be taken. "As you can clearly see, all of it is definitive evidence pointing to some insidious scheme that the devious Mihoshi has devised to steal Lord Tenchi away. There is no telling what evils she intends to perpetrate on his noble f...Ryo-Ohki! Stop rolling on the ground and laughing this instant! Ryouko and I are being quite serious!"   
  
"Miya miya miya."  
  
Ryouko shook Washuu angrily at Ryo-Ohki. "Whaddaya mean using 'insidious plan' and 'Mihoshi' in the same sentence is an oxymoron? It's the truth, I'm telling you."  
  
Sadly, Sasami shook her head. "I think Mihoshi asked Tenchi to go along on a trip with her because she was already going on one. He said yes because he wanted to go on a vacation. You two fought because you always do. Mihoshi accidentally messed up Washuu's experiment, just like she always does, and Tenchi wanted to leave early before you guys woke up so you wouldn't try to do what you're doing right now and keep him from going on his vacation. I think you two cooked up this paranoid conspiracy theory because you're jealous that you didn't think to ask Tenchi on a vacation first."  
  
Both of the girls stared in surprise at Sasami's accusation. The surprise lasted all of five seconds before Ryouko broke down and began crying. "It's not fair that Mihoshi gets to spend time with Tenchi. It should be me that gets him." She wiped her tears, then blew her nose on the back of Washuu's uniform.   
  
Aeka followed. "It should be myself that travels with Lord Tenchi. After all we've been through together, we deserve the quality time alone."  
  
"I don't think it would be a good idea to bother Tenchi on this trip," Sasami warned. "If he really wanted you guys to tag along, he would have said something."  
  
"Nonsense, he'll be happy to see us," Aeka insisted.   
  
"Yeah. We'll keep him out of trouble like we always do," Ryouko joined in. "So tell us where they went, pretty please."  
  
Sasami gave an exasperated sigh that implied a tiredness beyond her years. If her sister and Ryouko remained at home, they would drive her crazy within a day. "He said that he and Mihoshi were going to a beach."  
  
"Which one?" Aeka asked.   
  
"He didn't say."  
  
"What?!" Ryouko snapped. "You have to know. Was it on Earth, or some other planet?"  
  
"I don't know," Sasami insisted.   
  
Ryouko and Aeka gave each other a helpless look. "Perhaps we should ask Miss Washuu for assistance," Aeka suggested.   
  
Ryouko held Washuu up for a closer examination. Both she and Aeka could not help noticing the murderous glare the diminutive scientist was shooting at them.   
  
"Then again, perhaps not."  
  
Ryouko laughed nervously as she gently set Washuu down on a chair. "Why don't we take off now and decide on the way?"  
  
Aeka turned to Sasami, giving her the sweetest look that she could. "Could you do us a small favor? Don't release Miss Washuu until long after Ryouko and I have departed."  
  
Neither Aeka nor Ryouko waited for the reply. Both of them took off running, Ryouko grabbing Ryo-Ohki as she shot past.   
  
It was turning into a really bad day for Ryouko and Aeka.  
  
  
Milky Way Galaxy  
Sector 25W.773.2FX  
Class 4 Nebula: Arecheox  
  
Often referred to as 'Hell's Gate,' the class 4 nebula, Arecheox, has been listed as one of the most hazardous areas of space, being rated just below a black hole in destructive capability. It was something of an aberration, as the red hued nebula had constant, savage solar storms tear through the it's entirety, making it one of the most perilous environments ever discovered. It was said that even a top of the line Juraian battleship would last no more than fifteen minutes in the sector. Once inside the area, sensors were of minimal use and even the most powerful of shields would buckle in short order under the fury of the storms. No one ever willingly traveled there; even the outer fringes of the Hell's Gate were too furious to withstand. For all intents and purposes, it was a vast cosmic wasteland.   
  
There were rumors, of course, that there were constant, stable pockets within Hell's Gate that one could hide out and reside in, but most discounted such tales as mindless talk. No one would ever consider wasting the time to try and find such things. The only people that sometimes went into the area were those that were completely lost, and criminals that would try to run through the fringes of the nebula to avoid the pursuit of people that were chasing them. But the few that were bold (or stupid) enough to try the run never survived the experience, though there always remained the rumor of at least one smuggler who had found a safe pocket and gotten back out alive, avoiding the police that were pursuing him. No one was ever able remember his name, however.  
  
Most dismissed such stories as old wives' tales, like the 'Sargasso of Space' legend in which there was a graveyard of derelict ships that sat in the middle of nowhere, waiting for other spacecraft to stumble upon it. Once there, the ships that found it would be trapped as well, adding to the number of crafts in graveyard. No one asked the obvious question that if all of the newer ships ended up trapped with the others, how did word of it get out. Hell's Gate safe havens were the same way: a silly story.  
  
But as with many stories, there sometimes is a grain of truth in them. And such was the case with Hell's Gate. The Galaxy Police were pursuing a felon, Yurishori Omuri, who had killed two people in the course of his robbery. The criminal became desperate enough to flee into Hell's Gate to elude his pursuers, as some desperate criminals tried to do, even though no one ever emerged from the nebula. The two Galaxy Police spaceships that had been chasing him waited the required three hours to make sure Omuri hadn't just skirted the nebula, and left, reporting him missing and presumed dead.  
  
Much to their surprise, a week later Omuri was brought in on a raid by planetary police several systems away. The Galaxy Police took jurisdiction over the mysteriously alive prisoner and transferred him to their custody. After an interrogation, Omuri revealed that when he made a run for it, and through blind luck, he had stumbled onto a pocket of space in the middle of the nebula that was completely unaffected by the forces around it. In return for having his sentence reduced to life imprisonment instead of disintegration, he gave the Galaxy Police the data necessary to locate the safe pocket inside Hell's Gate. The path was erratic, and rocked by powerful, though not fatal, storms, which would have hid the pathway to any who were not specifically looking for it. Somehow, it remained where it was, allowing one a harrowing, but ultimately safe, access to the haven inside.  
  
Examining it would earn the safe pocket the name of, 'The Anomaly'. It was a small sphere of space that was calm, about five thousand kilometers long and ten thousand wide. Completely calm, in fact. None of the storms pierced the sphere in the slightest, something forcing them to remain outside, almost as though there was a glass wall separating one from the other. The nebula outside the sphere could be seen, but that was it. It was dead space. There was no natural phenomenon that could explain how the Anomaly existed, but it was still there. Most speculated that some higher power, greater even than the royal family of Jurai, must have created it, but for what purpose, no one knew.   
  
The High Command of the Galaxy Police, in compliance with the Juraian Security Directorate, kept the information concerning the Anomaly secret until the matter could be properly investigated. Deciding that no others similar pockets could be found, and hoping that the Anomaly was truly unique, both organizations kept its location a secret. Its complete isolation, its size, the fact that it was surrounded on all sides by highly destructive energies, and that there was only one safe way to approach the Anomaly without being destroyed, made it the perfect location for a project that the leaders of the Empire had been trying to implement for years.  
  
And thus Tartarus was born.  
  
Like a giant bird of prey, silhouetted against a sunset, Tartarus stood out in the vast field of red that made up the nebula called Hell's Gate. Tartarus was a space station, constructed in secret using the Emperor's personal funds, and designed in appearance to resemble a smaller version of Galaxy Police headquarters, although it was only three kilometers long and four kilometers wide. It bristled with weapons and heavy shielding, able to take on any four space cruisers at once and defeat them. And with the narrow corridor in which the Anomaly could be entered, no more than one large ship could come at them at any one time. The station was manned by a dozen scientists, thirty elite members of the Galaxy Police and twenty members of the Jurai Security Directorate.   
  
For all intents and purposes, Tartarus was impregnable.   
  
Due to the secrecy of the project, all of the members on board, save the scientists and four ranking officers, two of the Galaxy Police and two of the Jurai Security Directorate, volunteered for mind wiping of all information about Tartarus and the secrets contained within once their tour of duty was over. Considering what was contained at the facility, no one doubted the necessity of the procedure.   
  
There were only a handful of people, not counting the personnel assigned to the station, that knew of Tartarus's existence: the four highest ranking officers in the Galaxy Police, eight members of the Jurai Security Directorate, twelve members of the Imperial Science division, the Emperor, and his Inner Council of ten. No one else was allowed to even remember the facility, under penalty of either mindwipe or execution.   
  
Major Hiroyoshi Matsuda, the current commander at Tartarus, gazed out the viewscreen of the command bridge of the space station and cursed. It wasn't at the turbulent (and oh so aptly named) nebula around him, but rather what had just come out of Hell's Gate and into the Anomaly. It was a visitor that Matsuda knew all too well, the man having visited on far too many occasions and wearing out his welcome. Matsuda felt a headache coming on, for things had been going so smoothly too. There were only two weeks left in his six month tour, and this had to happen. Some people had nothing but bad luck  
  
The sleek, jet black, Taromaki Crescent Wing with the Galaxy Police insignia was easy to identify. Only the trio of highest ranking officers in charge of the Galaxy Police used the expensive craft, and of those three vehicles, only one of them was painted black.   
  
Once the recognition code sent out from the Marshal's ship was decrypted and analyzed as being valid, the major deactivated the defense system's targeting computers from continuing to track the ship. His next move was to go to the communications console and thumb the button accessing the public announcement system. "Attention all personnel. Marshal Alexi Malgaunt will be arriving at Tartarus in a few minutes, most likely for another surprise inspection. I want all hands at their stations and looking sharp, or you'll answer to me as well as the Marshal."  
  
Turning off the system, Major Matsuda left the bridge, saluting the others as he left. He knew the surprise inspections were necessary. Work at Tartarus was boring and monotonous, the two most dangerous enemies to maintaining a high level of discipline and readiness. Matsuda took his duties seriously and had drilled his crew regularly, ensuring they were in top condition and prepared for any emergency. But that wouldn't matter to 'Ballbreaker' Malgaunt. "There's always a flaw," was the marshal's motto. He could find and point out the imperfections in Heaven, given a chance. Somehow, in some way, he would find fault with Matsuda's performance and rub his face in it. Probably Malgaunt enjoyed doing it. That was the only reason Matsuda could come up with for the Marshal's frequent visits. Frequent meaning about once a month instead of the pattern of twice every six months that had been used before this last tour of duty.   
  
In the early days of the station, any one of the three Marshals might have come to inspect the facility, but in the last two years that 'privilege' had entirely fallen into the hands of Malgaunt. Even with his scathing reviews, he had kept his visits to only twice every half year, but things had changed of late and in the last six months he had visited four times, and now a fifth. And never for any reason for anything other than an inspection. The marshal hated Matsuda. That had to be the reason.  
  
Walking at a brisk pace while enroute to the docking bay, Matsuda made certain that he was not sweating; he refused to allow Malgaunt to see the least bit of discomfort on his features. If there was nothing else, he would deny Malgaunt that satisfaction.   
  
Arriving at the door to the docking bay, Matsuda was relieved to see Saito and Klancy as the guards assigned to the post. They were solid officers, and their appearance was immaculate. Malgaunt would have to find fault elsewhere.  
  
The sound of the Crescent Wing's docking clamps locking onto one of the three entry ports on Tartarus signaled that the ship had connected safely. Everything went smoothly as a light next to the docking bay's sensors indicated three humanoid lifeforms had exited their ship and were now on Tartarus.   
  
Matsuda glanced at the readouts in the wall as the sensors in passageway leading from the bay to the station's interior began scanning the occupants. The process always took a while as security was paramount a the installation. Retinal, epidermal, voice, heat signature, and internal body scans, as well as an additional entry code, were all needed for the Marshal and his two aides to pass through the bay and into the main section of the station. Failure at any level of the identification procedure would result in over a dozen laser, ion, and particle beam blasters, that lined the corridor to target on the various individuals. Any perceived hostile action would result in the weapons opening fire. During every inspection, the major sometimes had an idle fantasy where the weapons would misfire, just once, upon Malgaunt. It would mean an even greater inconvenience on Matsuda's part in explaining what had happened, but there would be many officers in the Galaxy Police that would have cheered anyway. That was the sort of devotion Malgaunt inspired in most people.  
  
The fantasy came and went, leaving Matsuda to concentrate on the matter at hand. Internal sensors scanned all three occupants waiting to enter and gave the major the results. The system verified that the trio were Marshal Alexi Malgaunt and Lieutenants Arisa Funuyaki and Masa Onita. The other officers' names were familiar to Matsuda; they were the same duo that Malgaunt had brought with him on the last two visits. It was not a surprise since anyone accepting the mission knew in advance they would be mindwiped afterwards. There were few people that enjoyed having two days worth of memories erased, so officers accepting the missions were usually hard to find. Most likely, both officers were trying to get ahead and hoped that by accepting the mission Malgaunt would give them a good review. Matsuda hated kiss asses.   
  
The scans confirmed that the only weapons the trio bore were standard issue officer's sidearms. After that inspection was confirmed, Matsuda hit a button and the door opened. The three officers stepped through the doorway, Malgaunt leading the way. Matsuda noted that nothing about the man had changed. Even under the formal black uniform of the marshal, one could tell the man inside was thin. Sharp angular features defined his clean shaven face, making him seem younger than his forty-five years of age. His oily black hair reached his shoulders, though it was immaculately groomed and did not detract anything from his professional appearance.   
  
The one feature about him that caught everyone's attention was the piercing gaze that was reputed to make even the Emperor flinch. When the Ballbreaker looked at you, he could see right through you, at least that was what was said by those that fell under his gaze. Certainly there seemed to be some truth to it, considering throughout the man's career he had one of the highest arrest rates ever in the history to the Galaxy Police. That, combined with a sharp mind and a knack for politics was what had allowed Malgaunt to rise like a comet through the ranks until he was third in command of the entire Galaxy Police, though most agreed that was far as he would rise. Both the Grand and First Marshals were still in the prime of their age, and both were secure in their positions. That suited Matsuda just fine. The idea of Malgaunt running everything would have made even the major consider an early retirement.  
  
The other famous characteristic of Malgaunt's that had earned him a reputation, especially in his early days, was one that was not physically noticeable. It was said that his reflexes were lightning quick and that he was a crack shot. Rumors' said that in his early days, he had been on an undercover assignment where his cover had been blown. Armed with only a holdout pistol concealed under his jacket, he found himself surrounded by five gunmen with their weapons drawn, prepared to fire upon him. The rumors had it that all it took was a surprised eye glance over the shoulder of one of the assailants, distracting several of the gunmen for a split second, before he drew his gun and began firing. The fifth attacker was dead before the first hit the ground. Only one of the gunmen got off a shot, one that was reputed to have grazed the back of the Marshal's neck. It was said that he still carried the scar to the present day, as a reminder of what it meant to be too slow. Matsuda believed the first part of the story; Malgaunt still radiated danger, despite not being involved in a field operation in over fifteen years. As to the scar, the Marshal usually wore high collared outfits. That, combined with his long hair, made it impossible to tell if it was true, and Matsuda was not about to ask Malgaunt himself. Curiosity ended when it came to possibly invoking Malgaunt's interest.  
  
The Major went from examining Malgaunt to the two aides he had brought with him. On Malgaunt's left stood Lieutenant Funuyaki. Like her commander, she wore the matching black uniform of an inspector. Her outfit fit more snugly, and one could easily determine that she was a curvaceous woman in obvious superior physical shape. She had raven black hair, though it lacked the oily gleam the Marshal's possessed. That hair was currently tucked under her hat so that only the smallest portion of it could be seen. Her eyes were a deep blue that reminded Matsuda of the lake in his backyard in his home on Primuf, and he found an overwhelming desire to return home briefly overwhelm him. She was attractive, but her face was an intense mask of professionalism; an attribute needed to maintain continuously in the presence of Malgaunt. To Matsuda's eyes, Funuyaki was every inch an officer.  
  
Onita, though also immaculate, differed greatly from Funuyaki. He was a taller man, very large and had obviously spent a great deal of time in the gym working out. His outfit was the same style as Funuyaki's and just as immaculate, but undoubtably had to have been especially made to fit his large frame. His face outwardly bore the same look of intensity as his partner's, but it was in the eyes that he differed so much from both the marshal and other lieutenant. There was a faint gleam in them which Matsuda could not identify and made him uneasy. It was like Onita was anxious for something, perhaps an end to his mission with Malgaunt, if he was a normal officer. Still, it was troubling, and Matsuda could not figure out why that was.   
  
Whatever the mysterious look was, he pushed it from his mind as not being a concern at the moment. All of Matsuda's attention had to be riveted on his superior officer, who was even now looking at the chronometer on his wrist.   
  
"I want to run through a full defensive simulation this time, Major Matsuda. And you're already running twenty seconds late," Malgaunt warned in a voice that was sharp and commanded everyone's full attention.   
  
A crisp salute, along with a "Sir!" was the only outward response Matsuda gave as he spun on his heel and quickly hurried towards the bridge. He didn't bother to look behind him, knowing that the three inspectors would be following in his wake, trailed by Saito and Klancy, once they locked down the docking bay behind them.  
  
Matsuda cursed his luck. Obviously he had shown too much efficiency in the past, so now the Marshal was turning up the pressure. No matter how efficient he was, Malgaunt was going to find something wrong with his performance. It was only a matter of how many things there would be at the end of the review. Matsuda swore he would make it as difficult as possible for his superior.   
  
The sound of five sets of synthi-plastic boots echoed throughout the corridors of Tartarus as the group walked quickly, just short of jogging, to the command bridge. They passed no one on their way. Matsuda mentally marked that as good; it meant everyone was at their proper stations; one less thing for Malgaunt to complain about.  
  
The route took only a couple of minutes as the party entered the command bridge without any incident or problems. Matsuda gave a sigh of relief as he stepped onto the bridge. Everyone there was at their assigned posts. There were two soldiers standing at the ready next to the door, and the communications and science division officers were at their proper stations. Everyone appeared to be in a high state of readiness.   
  
Funuyaki and Onita each went to the opposite sides of the door guards, well out of everyone's way. Saito and Klancy came through right after them, following the rounded curve of the room and staying close to the wall. They took positions about midway along the wall where they would have a clear line of sight of everything on the bridge. Everyone was right where they needed to be. Oh yes, Malgaunt was going to have a hard time of it on this occasion.   
  
Matsuda went to the main computer and entered the seven digit code that activated access to the full weapons systems control. Once the panel to the control opened up (without a bit of mechanical hesitation, he noted) he allowed the sensor to determine his identity and then inserted his personal control key. With a turn of the switch, the control board lit up. Everything, from shields to the anti-missile defenses to the self-destruct system was under Matsuda's complete control. The status board gave a loud "Breep", the self diagnostic's program indicating everything was functioning normally.  
  
Malgaunt's finger tapped his wrist chronometer. "Right on time. You made up that twenty seconds you were running behind. The system is running normally and the station is under your complete control. You have my congratulations."  
  
Despite being in the service for fifteen years, Major Matsuda was in shock. He had never heard of Malgaunt congratulating anyone, save at official public service functions. Instincts took over as he saluted and said, "Thank you, sir!"  
  
"And thank you, Major. Your professionalism makes everything easier."  
  
Matsuda stared at the Marshal in confusion. "Easier, sir?"  
  
"Yes," Malgaunt answered.  
  
Major Hiroyoshi Matsuda's own reaction time was quite impressive. He had just enough time to think, as he found Malgaunt's gun moved from the man's holster to his face in the blink of an eye, that the stories did not do the Marshal justice. Malgaunt was even faster than they said.  
  
Then the laser fired, and Matsuda never had another thought again.  
  
  
Lieutenant Arisa Funuyaki was in motion the instant she became aware that her superior had drawn his sidearm. She had heard he was fast, but even she couldn't believe what she saw before her eyes. Even a cybernetically enhanced assassin specifically boosted for speed could not have been quicker.   
  
In spite of being surprised, her own intensive training took over as she drew her sidearm and spun, aiming for the right door guard's face. She saw his eyes bulge as she pressed the trigger and sent a red shot through the man's head. As she turned to acquire her second target, she saw that her partner, Onita, was in the process of dispatching the other guard at the door. They had known in advance the numbers and positions of the personnel in the room. The plan had been for Malgaunt to eliminate Matsuda first, then move on to the man at communications and then the science division officer. Funuyaki and Saito were to take the door guards, and then the other two guards across the room, each one aiming for the officer on their side.  
  
Funuyaki was just drawing a bead on her target, noting the woman was only now reacting by bringing up her rifle, when a laser sliced through her chest, quickly followed by another one to the head. As Funuyaki's eyes darted across the room, making certain there were no other targets, she saw that it had been Malgaunt who had taken out her secondary target. Smoking bodies with holes in them sat at the communications and science consoles. Onita had done his work in shooting his second target before the guard had a chance to get a shot off with his rifle. It was over in less than three seconds after it had started.   
  
Funuyaki was already heading towards the communication's console as Malgaunt reexamined the defense control. Onita took the time to shoot his secondary target's prone body two more times, then went to the other bodies in the room to make certain no one was still alive.  
  
A quick examination told Funuyaki what she already knew. "She didn't get off a message, sir."  
  
"Excellent," Malgaunt said as he looked at his watch. "Onita, please hurry and lock the door to the room. We wouldn't want any unwanted visitors, now would we?"  
  
"No, sir." Onita moved quickly to the door and did as he was instructed. Once the primary doors were electronically sealed, Malgaunt touched another button and an interior set of blast doors irised into position in front of the primary ones. The blast doors were a foot thick and composed of specially treated osmium alloys. It would take someone with the right equipment at least fifteen minutes to burn through them.   
  
Malgaunt's hands began playing over the command console as he began talking. "I gave Matsuda an entire extra minute and a half. His efficiency makes our job much easier. We now have complete control over the majority of this stations defenses." He moved to a set of green switches. "First we'll disarm the destruct control in the science labs. We don't want them destroying the prize we've fought so hard to gain."  
  
"What exactly is the prize, sir?" Funuyaki asked.  
  
"All in good time, Lieutenant." Malgaunt said in a voice that betrayed only the slightest hint of anticipation. He looked at his watch, then gazed at the viewscreen that dominated the far side of the bridge. "We must time this carefully. If Major Matsuda trained his men well, and I know he did, two of the exterior gun stations are manned. Once they see that the automatic tracking system is off-line, they'll arm the manual overrides. That means they'll have the ability to fire upon our guests once they arrive, unless I time this just...right."   
  
Malgaunt tore his gaze from the chronometer and punched several buttons in quick succession. "The shields and automatic firing controls are now deactivated. Those manning the weapons are probably now engaging the manual overrides." He stared at the viewscreen. A smile broke out across his face. "But it's too late."  
  
Funuyaki followed his gaze and looked outside. From the safe passage into the Anomaly, a ship erupted through the field of red and into view. It was long and cylindrical in shape, reminding Funuyaki of a Juraian ship. Four small sets of wings on the sides, as well as a large set of external engines at the rear of the ship, ruined the image. She estimated the craft at about fifty meters, only about three times larger than the Crescent Wing that Funuyaki arrived in. As it approached at a dangerously fast speed, Funuyaki could see that the sides of the craft appeared to be black wood with the symbol of three stars prominent near the bow. If the wood was real, and not simply painted that meant it was a corrupted Juraian ship. That was what triggered her memory. There was only one ship like that and bore a trinity star symbol.   
  
"That's the Rack n'Ruin," Funuyaki gasped under her breath.   
  
Onita recognized the ship as well, and who it belonged to. "Sa'bre Stargrave," he said in just as much awe. "He's the fourth most wanted criminal in the galaxy."  
  
Onita's utterance snapped Funuyaki back to reality. "The ship's coming in too fast. She'll crash into the station!" In anticipation, Funuyaki, began to brace herself for the impact.   
  
Malgaunt remained where he was, a smile across his face. "Hardly. I know her pilot. Believe me when I say you have nothing to worry about."  
  
The Rack n'Ruin continued approaching Tartarus at a speed almost ten times faster than the maximum safety standards. It had closed to half the distance to the station when one of the exterior guns fired upon it. The craft banked left, the lasers missing by a wide margin. The second shot was even further off as the craft got in under the line of fire of the guns and came closer to the station. When it was within a half kilometer of Tartarus, jets erupted across the surface of the vessel, changing its direction so that it was now approaching the station sideways. The ship shook violently as the laws of physics tried to tear it apart. It was a race against time as the Rack n'Ruin neared the docking bays, slowing down at a rapid, though perhaps insufficient pace.   
  
Wincing, Funuyaki watched the scene from the exterior monitor located next to the docking bay. At the Rack n'Ruin's rate of speed, she was certain it was going to slam into the side of Tartarus. Time seemed to stand still as an additional set of jets erupted from the exterior of the smuggler's ship, slowing it down enough that it at last came to a halt, leaving only two meters of space between it and the hull of the station.   
  
On the bridge of Tartarus, Funuyaki and Onita breathed a sigh of relief. Malgaunt allowed himself an even larger smile.   
  
"Now I'll deactivate the weapon systems in the corridor of the docking bay." Malgaunt pushed another button. "They'll still have to blast their way through the doors, but I already told them how many there are and what they are composed of. They'll already have the necessary equipment to tear right through them." As if in response to his statement, the low rumble of an explosion came from the direction of the docking bay.   
  
Malgaunt stared smugly at his subordinates. "It is possible that one of the sergeants on duty has divined what is transpiring and gathered some men together to try to repel the boarders. It's possible that he might even send a squad up here to see what has happened. However, it won't be enough. I've gone over every aspect of this plan for the last several months, taking into account every possible factor and contingency. What obscure chance the personnel on this station had of stopping us ended the moment we took command of this bridge and the Rack n'Ruin docked. Now it is only a matter of time."  
  
Funuyaki and Onita looked at each other. After a moment, Onita relaxed and smiled. Funuyaki wasn't surprised by that. Onita was a little too trusting of Malgaunt for her taste. Perhaps it wasn't surprising though. Malgaunt could inspire trust in people when he really tried, especially with those that were not all that stable to begin with. Onita fit that bill quite nicely, unfortunately.  
  
As to the lieutenant herself, Malgaunt's confidence failed to overwhelm her. It had been in her experience that there was no such thing as the 'perfect plan.' Life was full of too many random variables for them all to be accounted for. Even when a plan was designed to be flexible, it still wasn't perfect. Anything could happen. Those that thought otherwise tended to freeze up when a situation fell apart around them.  
  
Noises coming from the direction of the sealed doorway caught Funuyaki's attention. She went to the external monitors and looked outside the room, Onita joining her at her side. The image showed several Galaxy Police officers moving around outside, trying to use the keypad to the door.  
  
"We've got company," she warned Malgaunt, who seemed content to remain where he was next to the command console.  
  
"It doesn't matter," he assured her. "Stargrave has already boarded the station and will be heading this way. They don't have enough time to cut through the door before he gets here."  
  
Again his reassurances failed to relax her. She kept her attention riveted to the monitor. It took them several minutes, but she watched as her fellow Galaxy Police officers had gotten some cutting tools and were preparing to cut through the door. They were just about to begin when they came under fire from a position further up the hall. With no real cover outside the doors, the action turned out to be brief as the crew was cut down in a matter of seconds.   
  
Several men and women came into range of the camera. They appeared to be a ragtag assortment with no two members dressed remotely alike. Dull gray flight suits that looked like they were from the Chasim Wars, to a woman wearing a gaudy sequined breastplate and plaid breaches, the full spectrum of clothing was like nothing she had ever seen before. The variety of weapons they bore were as different as their clothing. From laser pulse rifles to a strange metal sphere that dangled from a chain that one of the other women was holding, all were lethal in the hands of someone who knew how to use them, and they did appear to know how.   
  
After determining that all of the crew outside the doors was dead, the motley band of newcomers parted to allow a man to step forward before the doors. He was tall, over six feet in height and with long black hair that cascaded down his back, stopping just above his waist. He had an average build, neither excessively muscled like Onita, nor wiry like Malgaunt. His features were bold, making Funuyaki note that he was one of the more handsome men she had seen in some time. There was also something familiar about his features, though when she tried placing a name with his face she came up with nothing. The man carried himself well, radiating an aura of confidence that could be felt even through the camera. His own outfit was one of the more tasteful ones from among the group. It consisted of a formal looking purple tunic and azure pants that fit loosely upon him. Slung across his back was a purple cloak with a white fur trim. The only visible weapon he wore was an expensive snub-nosed laser blaster in a hip holster.   
  
As Funuyaki completed her appraisal of his clothing, she realized why he looked familiar. The outfit was reminiscent of the style worn by the Juraian royalty. That, combined with the man's own features, gave him a striking resemblance to the Emperor himself. A younger, leaner, clean shaven version anyway. It was a look undoubtedly cultivated by the man.  
  
The man stared up at the camera. Funuyaki could have almost sworn that he was somehow able to see her through the camera just as she could see him. He cocked his head slightly as the corridor audio links allowed the trio behind the layers of osmium alloy to hear the man say, "Honey, I'm home."  
  
Malgaunt smiled then looked down at his watch. "Right on time." He retracted both sets of doors.   
  
Funuyaki tensed as the leader of the assorted band entered the bridge, approached the marshal, and shook the his hand. "Malgaunt."  
  
"Sa'bre," Malgaunt acknowledged. "It's about time you showed up. I see Fera got you here with her usual style. Do you enjoy taking your life into your hands like that every time you fly?"  
  
"I wouldn't complain too much. She's your ticket off this station too," Sa'bre warned.  
  
Funuyaki looked over the rather infamous figure of Sa'bre Stargrave over. She was a little surprised. She had pictured one of the most wanted criminals in the galaxy as being a bit more unkempt. He appeared very calm and regal, at least on the outside. Instincts took over as her senses went into their inspector mode, taking in every nuance and detail of the captain and his crew. Ten years of undercover work had her mind working on automatic as she categorized what type of criminals the crew of the Rack n'Ruin were. Even if after today she was never going to be a member of the Galaxy Police again.  
  
Further thoughts on her situation were interrupted as Malgaunt began talking to Sa'bre again. "Is everything on schedule?"  
  
Just as Stargave was about to reply, his head jerked slightly and he brought his hand to his ear. From where Funuyaki stood, she could make out a tiny audio receiver nestled in his outer ear.   
  
"Everyone has been accounted for except for one slight problem. It appears a number of your men have barricaded themselves in the barracks and refuse to come out." Stargrave said. "They've even welded the doors shut and have somehow electrified the floor. I've lost four men trying to take it. Any suggestions?"  
  
Malgaunt thought about it for a moment. "The barracks are located about as far away from the labs as possible, and there are only those two doorways leading from the crew's quarters. Just leave a unit of men there to keep the crew penned in. Also have your men watch the ventilation shafts at junctions eight and nine. The crew might try to travel through them and flank you. That should take care of the problem long enough for us to finish what we came here to do."   
  
A tall woman, lean like Malgaunt and with a cruel smile, made her way to Sa'bre's side.   
  
Stargrave spoke up. "You haven't been properly introduced," he said to Malgaunt. "This is my first mate, Ariana Taguyu."   
  
Ariana directed a look towards Malgaunt. "Are you sure its wise to leave them there? They might cause us trouble."  
  
"They might be smart, but the only things they could do to effectively hamper us would take more time than they have," Malgaunt assured her as he set up a remote control unit to the main computer. He ran a quick diagnostic on it. Once he was convinced it functioned properly, he pulled out his laser pistol and fired upon both the command and the communication consoles." He looked them over, and assured himself they were no longer in working order. After that he held the remote high enough that everyone could see. "This is the only means of controlling this station. Now, we'd best get underway to the labs. Time may be on our side, but we still have a rendezvous to keep and we'd better not miss it."  
  
Malgaunt headed for the door. At Stargrave's gesture, his crew fell into place. Several of his people took the lead, keeping their rifles at the ready as they headed towards the laboratory on Tartarus.   
  
As the group made their way through the station, Malgaunt began speaking again. "Sa'bre, I'd like to introduce my two aides to you. There are Lieutenants Funuyaki and Onita. Without their help, even I would have been hard pressed to accomplish my mission."  
  
Sa'bre gave a slight nod to each of them. "So, what did it take for two dedicated defenders of justice, such as yourselves, to turn against their former employers in such grand fashion?"  
  
Onita was caught off guard by the question and had no idea of how to reply. Funuyaki snapped, "It's none of your damn business!"  
  
Ariana and the rest of Stargrave's troops tensed up. A gesture from their captain, and the group relaxed slightly, returning their attention to possible attacks from outside the party once again.   
  
"No need to get defensive. I was just curious because, in my line of work, one frequently has to bribe Galaxy Police officers to get anything done. Think of it as a hobby of mine, if you will."  
  
"I think it would be better if we waited until after we finished the task at hand before we try questioning personal motivations," Malgaunt said, trying to defuse the potentially explosive situation.   
  
Sa'bre responded by giving Malgaunt a sharp look. "If I'm going to work with people willing to stab their supposed comrades-in-arms in the back, I want to know what their price is just in case someone starts trying to offer them a better deal."  
  
"You're a murderous smuggler that deals with the scum of the galaxy every day of your life," Malgaunt pointed out in a calm voice, stating it as fact rather than opinion.  
  
"But those are criminals. I expect it from them." Stargrave kept his steely gaze on the two lieutenants. "When a couple of Galaxy Police officers turn on their own kind, I want to know why."  
  
The tension in the group built even as they moved onward, though if Malgaunt noticed he gave no indication of it. "For now, let's just say they're visionaries, like myself."  
  
"I'd prefer something a little less ambiguous."  
  
At last, Malgaunt began to show signs of irritation. "Then let's try this. I picked them myself for this mission, and you know my motivations for doing this. Do you believe I would have brought them along if I didn't have complete trust in them and their abilities?"  
  
Sa'bre gave a Malgaunt a wide smile and seemed to bow even as the group moved continuously onward. "Of course not. I have complete faith in you and your abilities. My apologies."  
  
That seemed to unofficially signal an end to the discussion as the group continued on their way in silence. They traveled onward until they came upon a section of the station where biohazard warnings were displayed everywhere. Funuyaki tensed up slightly. When Malgaunt had all but forced her to join him on this hijacking, he had only told her that the object was something valuable and located in a secret Galaxy Police station, remaining deliberately vague about exactly what it was they were taking. Supposedly, it was for Funuyaki and Onita's own protection; the less they knew about the plan the better. But there was something about Malgaunt's evasiveness that tripped off her detective skills. She had been fairly certain there was some other reason as well.   
  
At the time, Malgaunt had also implied that they would receive some sort of assistance from outside the Galaxy Police. Never had any mention been made of working with a criminal as ruthless as Sa'ber Stargrave. Over twenty thousand deaths, including more than fifty Galaxy Police personnel, could be directly attributed to him and his organization. And those were only counting the crimes the police were aware of. Now more than ever Funuyaki was convinced the whole operation was for something much greater than money. Of course, once she had gunned down one of her fellow (or perhaps that was former, now) Galaxy Police officers, it had become far too late for her to ever back out, no matter what future recriminations she might have.  
  
As that thought went through her mind, the group arrived at a huge set of sealed osmium alloy doors. In addition to that, there was an active energy field surrounding it, making penetrating them nearly impossible.   
  
Unless of course someone had the entry codes.   
  
Malgaunt walked up to the control panel's retinal scanner. Once his identity was confirmed, the pad's numerical control was activated for his exclusive use. His first action was to deactivate the energy field. After that he turned his attention to Sa'bre.   
  
"Inside there will be about a dozen scientists. They'll be armed with nothing more powerful than standard issue laser pistols. However, all of them have been trained in their use."  
  
"Well we've got these," one of Sa'bre's men brandished a wicked-looking modified laser rifle before him.   
  
Malgaunt shot the man a disdainful glare before returning his attention to Stargrave. "I recommend throwing in a couple of stun grenades the moment the doors are opened. They won't have any defense against that sort of attack, and it'll make them easier to shoot. Also," he said louder so everyone could hear. "Any stray shots might damage the systems that control our prize. I don't know about you, but I have no desire to handle it directly."  
  
Stargrave nodded his head in obvious agreement. "Do what the marshal suggests. I want precision firing in there. Anyone shoots the wrong target and they answer to me."   
  
Sa'bre turned back to Malgaunt as his men prepared themselves for the upcoming attack. "Do you think they'll try to destroy what we're after rather than letting us get a hold of it? Surely they were told to do anything rather than to let it fall into anyone else's hands."  
  
Malgaunt removed his hat and threw it to the ground. He shook his head, as though free of some burden. "They would if they had the opportunity. However, I disarmed the detonators from the bridge controls, and they don't have any manual overrides down here. They don't even have the equipment necessary to cut through the shielding surrounding the prize in less than an hour. That stuff is so thick you don't even have to worry about one of your men accidentally hitting it with a sonic grenade. Once we kill everyone in that room, we've won."  
  
At her position to the left of them, Funuyaki overhead the conversation. She could not help noticing that as different in physical appearance as the two men were, they still possessed identical hungry gleams in their eyes. Marshal Alexi Malgaunt and Sa'bre Stargrave were alike in all the ways that mattered.   
  
The crew had prepared themselves. Two men were at the front of the group, stun grenades at the ready, as the rest prepared to storm into the lab after the grenades went off.   
  
Funuyaki allowed the group to maneuver in front of her, hanging back towards the rear. She had no desire to kill anyone else today. The one man she had already shot was bothering her far more than she had originally thought it would. It wasn't the first time she had killed someone. It wasn't even the first time she had shot someone that didn't deserve it. But still the action seemed to trouble her, and she was unable to casually dismiss it like she thought she should.   
  
With disgust, she saw that Onita had moved to the front of the pack, all too eager to add to his body count today. She went from simply disliking the violent thug to loathing him. She had always detested being saddled with the man when he was chosen as her partner by Malgaunt almost six months ago. Working with him had only proven that he was violent, had a short temper, and frequently displayed poor skills when dealing with criminals. It was a surprise to her that someone like that could still have remained in the service for as long as Onita had, let alone risen to the rank of lieutenant. She was almost certain that Malgaunt must have had something to do with the man's undeserving promotion, probably so that he could be on this mission. Even now, after she had essentially quit the Galaxy Police, she was still saddled with the man. Perhaps it was the universe's way of getting back at her for all of the things she had done.  
  
Once everyone was in position, Sa'bre gave a signal. Malgaunt entered the override code on the doors and the attack began. Funuyaki waited outside with several of the others as the majority of the group went charging in. It wasn't until the sounds of fighting stopped and someone yelled, "Clear!" that she and the others entered the labs, at last having access to the much sought after prize, whatever it was.   
  
The chamber itself was quite huge. It was the largest room on the station, outside of the one that housed the fusion reactor that powered the station. A host of complicated machines that Funuyaki failed to identify were strewn throughout the chamber, though most of them seemed centered upon a metal column in the center of the room. Her eyes took an inventory of everything in the room, trying to figure out what the precious cargo that they had gone to all of this trouble for was. There was one thing she picked up on rather quickly that made her feel even more uneasy than before: all of the dead scientists were wearing full environmental biohazard suits. Something was horribly wrong with the entire situation.  
  
Malgaunt went up to one of the control boards and began punching in several codes. After several moments, he said two phrases at the panel.  
  
"Identification code Choate ZXX4GY6V. Code name: Apocalypse."  
  
A loud thrumming sound began to fill the air. Slowly, the metal column that was in the center of the room began to retract. All eyes were riveted to it as a clear cylinder was revealed to have been concealed within the metal column. A light coating of frost could be seen on the inside as the metal column continued moving downward, until at last an object, nestled at the bottom of the container, could clearly be seen.   
  
At his console, Malgaunt loudly announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen. Allow me to introduce you to the greatest killer the universe has ever known."  
  
The object was a flower, no bigger than a foot in height. The stem and leaves were brown, though vibrant, and the flower itself was a silky yellow in appearance with azure petals surrounding the middle. Looking at it, one would never have suspected the plant of having gotten around to killing almost half a trillion sentient beings.  
  
Funuyaki stared at it in disbelief; an apocalyptic legend that had been reborn before her eyes. The words for it were on most of the others in the lips, but Funuyaki was the only one that gave voice to it.  
  
"Shihana."  
  
  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
Yes. The Tenchi cast are going to reappear next chapter, so don't worry about the focus changing too much. We just needed to be introduced to the villains of the series.  
  
Special thanks to Kara-Ohki for looking over this and for Lara Bartram for giving me the name of the 'Death Flower'  
  
Also thanks to Slashley, JJ Corley, Burnett/Edwards, and Angcobra for their input  
  
  
  



	3. Default Chapter Title

Vacation Days  
Chapter 3  
  
  
A Tenchi Muyo! Fic  
This uses the OVA continuity.   
  
Any and all C+C craved for. You can contact me at  
sommer@3rdm.net  
  
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Tenchi Muyo! materials   
  
All of my stuff is now stored at:  
http://angcobra.jumpfun.com/dbsommer.html  
  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
A drowsiness stole over Tenchi as the soft vibrations from Yokonojo's engines began lulling him to sleep. It was an unusual sensation for him. Generally, whenever he went into space, there was some matter of importance on hand that prevented him from doing anything other than concentrating on whatever danger had presented itself. From Kagato to Dr. Clay, always there had been some situation that cried out, 'If you get caught napping, Tenchi, some outer space bad guy is going to blow you into your molecular components and then see if you're going to get that book report in on time.' One would have thought he would develop a phobia about space travel with that sort of thing happening to him so often.  
  
However, this time was going to be different; he could feel it in his bones. All he was doing was traveling to another planet to enjoy a quiet seaside vacation. Like going to Okinawa, except for the three-headed aliens that would be there too. True, Ryouko and Aeka could still catch up and cause some sort of problem that would end up giving him a headache, but at least for now, all was at peace and he could relax and enjoy the ride. Perhaps he could even fall asleep, just like Mihoshi was doing. She looked so peaceful, dozing at the control console, a tiny line of drool pooling beneath her...  
  
Mihoshi was asleep at the controls?  
  
"Wake up, Mihoshi." Tenchi shook her by the shoulder, eliciting a groan from the girl as her eyes opened by only the tiniest fraction.  
  
"Whaa?" was the most coherent thought she could muster after having been awakened so.  
  
Hoping she would be awake enough to understand the question, he asked, "Who's flying the ship?"  
  
"Autopilot." Mihoshi waved towards the far side of the console and began snoring again.  
  
Tenchi looked at the strewn mess of garbage that sat on top of the console. He removed used napkins, empty coffee cups, candy bar wrappers, and even a pair of thin, red silk panties (while somehow keeping the image of Mihoshi in them out of his head) around so that he could actually look at the ship's board. It was easy to locate the autopilot control. It was the one with the flashing 'System Malfunction' light right above it.  
  
Again Tenchi shook Mihoshi, getting the same results. "There's a light that says the system's malfunctioning."   
  
"That's because it broke down a couple of days ago and I didn't get a chance to fix it," she explained sleepily.  
  
"So in other words, we're flying aimlessly though space."  
  
"Yep." Mihoshi thought about that for a minute. "Oops." She sat up, blushing slightly at the error, and grabbed the controls.   
  
After a few moments of Tenchi scowling at her, she tried reassuring him by saying, "Well, we really weren't in any danger. One thing you have to remember is that matter is actually the exception in deep space. Most of the universe is nothing more than vast emptiness, and the odds of traveling in one direction, like we're doing, and running into something are very poor. I'd say it would only be about-"  
  
"One hundred percent!" Tenchi shouted as he pointed at the viewscreen.  
  
Mihoshi let out an exasperated sigh. "No. That's not it at all. Didn't you hear what I was saying? Matter is the exception, not the rule. It would be AHH!" Mihoshi at last looked to the viewscreen Tenchi was pointing at. Where there should have been the vast emptiness of space, there was, instead, the picture of a large moon taking up the entire screen and growing bigger by the second. Impact craters from thousands of asteroid impacts dotted its surface and at the rate the ship was speeding towards it, one more was about to be added.   
  
Mihoshi continued to scream as she jerked hard on the controls and increased the thrust of the engines, powering out of the moon's gravity well at the last second. Even with the evasive maneuver, the ship skimmed the surface of the terrestrial satellite at no more than fifty feet above it. It was only as the image of the moon drifted off in the distance that Mihoshi let out a sigh of relief.   
  
"Wow! There's nothing like a near-death collision to get the blood flowing, is there, Tenchi?"  
  
Upside down in his seat, feet sticking up in the air, Tenchi could only moan in agreement and began to question his judgment in agreeing to travel with Mihoshi after all.   
  
  
"You do realize they could be anywhere in the universe?" Ryouko said as she guided Ryo-Ohki into deep space. Their search of the majority of Earth's beaches had turned up nothing. It was not as though they had to actually search each individual on the various beaches, that would have taken them years. Instead, they searched for the much more obvious sign that would be easy to spot in the air: Mihoshi's crashed spaceship.  
  
"I doubt Mihoshi is particularly imaginative," Aeka said, her voice trying to project confidence while her true feelings of concern were obvious with the wringing she was doing with her hands. "They probably went someplace well known, like YuriKei 4, or Aqua Regia."  
  
Ryouko placed her hand to her chin in thought. "Maybe not."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well," Ryouko said slowly, "if you or me had a shot at spending some time with Tenchi alone, would we go somewhere it was crowded. or would we take him to a nice secluded spot where we'd have a little privacy, so we could get him to know him more intimately?"  
  
Aeka blushed slightly at the idea of her and Tenchi being alone on a beach, opening their hearts to one another without anyone, especially Ryouko, Washuu, Sasami, or (that insufferable conniver) Mihoshi, interrupting them.  
  
Ryouko watched the blush rise to Aeka's cheeks. "Now do you get it?"  
  
"But where would we start?" Aeka asked, more intent than ever to find Tenchi in order to protect him from Mihoshi and not from any plots she had developed on her own.  
  
Really.   
  
"We'll hit some of the more secluded spots near the Earth's sector and work our way out from there. If that doesn't pan out, we'll try some of the more popular resorts like you thought at first." Ryouko began going over Ryo-Ohki's impressive collection of star charts.   
  
Aeka looked out into space again. She fell to one knee, envisioning Tenchi's face in the star field. "Fear not, Lord Tenchi. I swear by the royal blood that runs through my veins that I will protect you from whatever trouble Mihoshi will get you in. If I should fail, may I die in the most horrible and painful way possible, for my love is so great I could never live without you."   
  
A well thrown metal skillet connected with the back of Aeka's head.  
  
"Knock it off with all that melodramatic crap!" Ryouko warned. "If it gets any worse, I'm going to barf."  
  
Aeka's face began twitching. "How dare you assault my august personage when I am aiding you in our mutual quest for Tenchi! If Ryu-oh was still functional, I would have left you behind and gone to rescue Tenchi myself. It's not as though you could handle matters this important on your own."  
  
Ryouko's face began twitching in response. "Look, you. We haven't been searching for Tenchi for even a day and you're already asking to get spaced. So you'd better accept that fact that I'm going to be leader of this expedition, or you'll find yourself dropped off on some backwater world where there won't be anything but trees to talk to, and I don't mean the Juraian kind. Got it, Princess?"  
  
Aeka began glowing brightly. "Oh, I 'get it' all right. Allow me to show you the manner of my acquiescence to these asinine demands."  
  
They say in space, no one can hear you scream. However, space-traveling cabbits have mastered the technique of 'Miya'ing quite audibly in protest to fights that go on in the bowels of their starship forms, as Ryo-Ohki was currently doing as the first day of the 'Aeka and Ryouko Save Tenchi From Mihoshi' expedition began.  
  
  
Tenchi was surprised to discover that he had calmed down fairly quickly from what was yet another near-death experience for him. The calming had happened so fast, that he began to wonder if he had simply become used to the whole thing. A year ago, nearly getting run over by a car had been enough to unnerve him for nearly a week. Now, almost slamming into a small planetoid at several hundred thousand miles per hour was only worth fretting about for five minutes. He was either becoming more courageous or more stupid.   
  
His stomach grumbled in agreement, though for which idea he wasn't certain. "I'm sort of hungry," he told Mihoshi.  
  
"Sure. I can get some food for..."  
  
Tenchi looked at her curiously, wondering why she had trailed off like that. Mihoshi stood straight up and gave a little squeal of terror.   
  
"What is it?" Tenchi asked in concern.   
  
Mihoshi said, "There were a couple or prisoners on the ship. I haven't had a chance to take them to the nearest Galaxy Police headquarters yet, on account of how low my batteries were. And then, while I had to wait a long time for the batteries to charge up, I got the call from my superiors that ordered me to go on vacation."  
  
"You mean-" Tenchi began.  
  
"-I completely forgot they were here and didn't feed them. Do you think you could go down to the cells and check on them? I'm afraid they'd be angry at me for not feeding them, and I hate it when people shout at me for something like that."  
  
Not that they weren't already angry with her for arresting them, Tenchi thought. Still, he supposed she was concerned because their anger would be justified this time. Somehow, looking into her pleading eyes, he knew he would not be able to refuse the request.  
  
"Where are the prisoners located?" Tenchi asked.   
  
"Thank you, Tenchi! You're a life saver." She beamed a smile at him. "You go down the main corridor fifty feet. Then you take a left and go past three doors and then you take a right. And then you go past a couple more doors, but stop before you get to the infirmary. And then you're there."  
  
The door to the bridge automatically opened as Tenchi started to leave the room. He was in the middle of the doorway when Mihoshi said, "Wait! It's go down the main corridor sixty feet, then take a right, then go past two doors and take the right. And then you stop before you get to the armory. And then you're there."  
  
Tenchi memorized the directions again. Just as he turned to go, Mihoshi again stopped him. "Wait. That's to the power reactor. Let me think about this." She placed her hand to her chin in thought. Just as Tenchi was about to ask her again, she spoke. "I've definitely got it this time. Here's what you do. You go out into the hall and look to your right., you should see a map of the ship on the wall a few meters away. The corridor across from that is the one you want to take. Just go along it until you come to some stairs and..."  
  
As Mihoshi droned on, Tenchi walked over to the map and studied it. Yelling, "I think I've got it!" he made a beeline to the location marked 'Brig'.  
  
As Tenchi walked down the corridors, following a path of signs that said, 'Follow the white arrows to the prisoner cells,' he began to wonder if Mihoshi was getting worse over time. Sometimes she was okay, but forgetting about her prisoners really was unforgivable. The one thing she had always seemed to do was take her job seriously, but it seemed to him this was a too major of a mistake on her part.   
  
At last he arrived at the cells on board the ship. Looking into an empty one, he noticed that the beds within were quite nice, with padded white mattresses and frilly comforters on them. There even appeared to be a small voice-activated radio stationed on the outside of the cell, just beyond the forcefields that kept the prisoners confined to their cells. He supposed it made sense, since Mihoshi had told him that when on long range patrols, it could take up to a week for a ship to make it back to an inhabited world where a prisoner could be dropped off at a branch of the Galaxy Police for processing. It was nice to see that the Galaxy Police at least tried to make the prisoners feel comfortable.   
  
He examined each cell, trying to find the prisoners, but ended up rewarded with nothing. It wasn't until he got to the eighth cell in the corridor that he noticed it was occupied with what was presumably Mihoshi's prisoners.   
  
Or at least what was left of them.  
  
For as Tenchi looked in, he was able to clearly see that only occupants were two complete skeletons laid out on their beds, looking for all of the world like some kind of Halloween decoration.  
  
Tenchi backed out of sight of the cell and caught his breath. It was some kind of mistake. Even Mihoshi could not have forgotten someone for the amount of time it would have taken for them to end up in that state. The real prisoners were probably in a cell farther down, he assured himself, and went to make sure. Unfortunately, all of the other ones were vacant. That meant the one with the skeletons had to be it.   
  
Tenchi afforded one more look into the cell, assuring himself it wasn't an optical illusion. The skeletons were still there. This time Tenchi backed out of the cell block altogether and into the corridor beyond. Could Mihoshi have been wrong about having prisoners at all, having dropped them off and forgetting altogether about it? That didn't seem likely either. She had been certain they were still on the ship. With a hesitant hand, he activated one of the communicators in the wall. "Mihoshi?"  
  
"Yes?" The sound of munching could be heard over the reply that came crackling over the unit.  
  
"There's a little problem with the prisoners."  
  
"Are they being loud and unruly? If they are, just ask them nicely to please keep it down. And if that doesn't work, start to explain to them Lord Fillybuster the Gregarious's theories on how the universe actually revolves on Urianan Banana peels and is held together with duct tape. Usually I don't get more than two minutes into the first part of the theory when they get all quiet and apologize for causing a problem. Personally, I don't think much of the theory myself, but it does seem to be a useful tool in calming prisoners down."  
  
Tenchi felt the sweatdrop form behind his head. "Ah, no. They aren't being unruly at all. In fact, I'd say they're the quietest people I've seen in a real long time." He chided himself for his cowardice in trying to dodge the issue. He forced himself to say, "I don't know how to tell you this, so I'm just going to come out and say it. I'm afraid they're dead."  
  
"Oh. Okay. As long as they aren't giving you a hard...WHAT?!"  
  
Tenchi listened to the sobbing on the other end as Mihoshi blubbered out, "That can't be. I've never had a prisoner die on me before. My record is flawless in that respect. Sure, sometimes they complain about me mentally torturing them, but everyone knows I would never do that sort of thing to anyone. It's just talk."  
  
"Well, it's true. I guess you'd better come down and check it out yourself." Tenchi's heart felt as though it had sunk to his stomach. Things just didn't make sense.  
  
In less than a minute Mihoshi had joined Tenchi, bawling her eyes out and sobbing about how she was now guilty of murder and was going to have to arrest herself. The crying girl entered the cell block with Tenchi, allowing him to lead her to the room with the bodies. Tenchi watched Mihoshi carefully, gauging her reaction as she laid eyes upon the remains for the first time. He hoped she wouldn't try to do anything rash.  
  
She took one good look through her tears, then stopped crying. A look of confusion passed over her features. "Umm, Tenchi. The prisoners look perfectly fine to me."  
  
"What are you talking about?!" he nearly shouted. "They're nothing but skeletons!"  
  
"Hey, you're not so fat yourself, jerk!"  
  
Tenchi recoiled in horror as one of the skeletons sat up and spoke. A moment later, its companion followed the example. Together they headed towards the forcefield to the cell, stopping right in front of it mere inches away from Tenchi. His reaction was automatic as he jumped back and hid behind Mihoshi, who remained where she was as though two skeletons coming towards her was the most normal thing in the world.  
  
Mihoshi looked over her shoulder to stare at Tenchi in confusion. "Ah, Tenchi. They're Kallista Flockhartens. They all look like skeletons. Their skin and internal organs are transparent. Although if you look real close under the light, you can just make out a blue outline that surrounds their bodies. That's all you can see of their skin. Also, there is just the faintest red glow in front of their eyes. That's their optical nerves. So you see, these two are perfectly normal."  
  
Forcing himself to stare closely at the two animated sets of bones, Tenchi could see that Mihoshi was correct and that both things were present on the prisoners. He blushed in embarrassment.   
  
"Tenchi, you're so silly," Mihoshi giggled. "You were just trying to scare me, weren't you?"  
  
"Sort of," Tenchi said, placing a hand behind his head in further embarrassment.  
  
Mihoshi got both of the Flockhartens their food. Tenchi was relieved to see that the invisibility effect extended to what they ate, grateful he didn't have to go through watching their digestive tracts in action.   
  
As Mihoshi and Tenchi left the cells behind, she began to voice some concerns. "I have something of a problem here. Headquarters specifically said they didn't want to hear my name at all. If I take the prisoners in, then they'll hear my name and I'll get into trouble. Of course, I don't think we can take them on vacation with us either. I don't know what to do," she wailed.  
  
"I don't think your headquarters would mind if you're dropping off prisoners you already had in your custody before you went on vacation. I'm pretty sure they meant not to make any arrests after you went on it," Tenchi said.  
  
Mihoshi shook her head. "Nonono. You don't understand. My orders were very specific, and my superiors will be really angry if I don't obey them. I have to come up with something. Maybe if I ask Yukinojo he can help."  
  
With a course of action decided, Mihoshi set off back to the bridge and reactivated the artificial intelligence that served as her only companion on long range flights. Once activated, Yukinojo lowered his primary communications unit; basically a mechanical head that lowered from the ceiling that allowed Mihoshi to talk to him face-to-face.  
  
"Good morning, Yukinojo," Mihoshi greeted happily.  
  
"My chronometer indicates it's six P.M. Juraian Standard Time. That would place it as early evening."  
  
"You know what I meant," Mihoshi said. "I have a problem."  
  
"I see," the mechanical head answered almost drolly, if one could attribute a droll tone in the unit's mechanical voice. "It's only been one standard day since you were ordered on vacation and I had a chance to shut down. And here I was hoping to get about six months rest from our usual bouts of chaos. That was why I wanted most of my higher functions turned off."  
  
"Sorry about this," Mihoshi said, looking a little embarrassed.   
  
Yukinojo continued without pause. "You do know that the last time we were at headquarters the main computer diagnosed me with burnt out logistics and worn out acceptors. You know, the important things I need to interact with intelligent beings in a logical manner. It's supposed to take a minimum of fifteen years for that sort of problem to creep up in my series of AI. It's only taken four years of being under your command for me to start to having massive break-downs of this sort. It's all highly traumatizing for me."  
  
"Well, we are pretty busy and have had a high case load. That's probably why you're having breakdowns in your higher functions," Mihoshi offered.   
  
"Or it could be you are lazy, slovenly, conduct business in an offhand and consistently illogical manner, cause massive amounts of damage to the ship in senseless accidents that could easily be avoided, have no sense of discipline..." Yukinojo trailed off as Mihoshi's eyes began to tear. Every time he tried to seriously berate her for her attitude, she'd began to cry, and then his empathy programs would creep and he'd have to...  
  
"I'm sorry, Mihoshi. Our record of arrests is outstanding. We've single-handedly brought down entire criminal organizations, like Keyser Soze's outfit. We always score high marks in concluding our cases in timely fashion, and not once have we ever had to be disciplined for any violations of prisoners' rights. And," Yukinojo almost hated himself for this part, mostly because it was true, "I like working with you because you show such heartfelt enthusiasm for getting the job done and always uphold the spirit of the Galaxy Police." Even if she did also screw up things a lot of the time, drive him to distraction, and made him want to lobotomize himself on more than one occasion.   
  
"Thanks." Mihoshi's attitude brightened considerably. "Now, I'm sorry for interrupting your rest, but I have a little problem." She outlined the dilemma of the prisoners.  
  
Yukinojo said, "We're going to have to drop them off and take our chances that headquarters will let this slide." Logically they should not have had a problem with the situation, but Mihoshi's superiors had been enthusiastic about not having any contact whatsoever with her for six months. It was possible some problem could creep up, even if it was through some misunderstanding about when the prisoners had really been apprehended.   
  
He was still reviewing the possibilities when he picked up a communication. "Mihoshi. I have a distress signal from a Galaxy Police prisoner transport in our sector. They say there was an attempted breakout by some of the prisoners, but the situation is now under control. However, their long-range communications have been damaged and they can only contact others with their short-range communications systems."  
  
There could be no doubt about their course of action. It was a common fact that any space faring vessel receiving a distress call was obligated to respond. Mihoshi set a course for the source of the signal.   
  
It only took them ten minutes to reach the coordinates. Yukinojo's sensors matched the ship's configuration to the transponder signal it gave off. The ships linked with one another without difficulty, and Tenchi and Mihoshi both went over to the transport to look over the situation. The transport's captain, Terrace Azsore, was waiting for them as they arrived. He and Mihoshi saluted one another and began to talk.  
  
"We were bringing in some Class C criminals from some of the outer territories when they attempted a prison break. We got them under control quick enough, except for one guy that managed to overload our sensor array and blow apart some of the main engine controls. We've managed to repair most of the damage. The main engines are still off-line, but my engineer assures me he can have them fixed within the hour," Azsore explained. "Our main problem is that our CGG-60B long-range antenna was severely damaged. Our backup was destroyed as well."  
  
"Without it, you can't communicate outside a single star system," Mihoshi finished.   
  
"You see the problem," Azsore said. "As a ship belonging to the Galaxy Police, we are required to maintain a constant link with headquarters in case of emergencies. We still have a long way to go to get to the penal colony on Trakton-Gallows and a lot of that is in deep space. This system isn't exactly one of the most advanced, and any side journeys for replacement parts are going to take a heck of a long time. But if you could loan us your spare antenna-"  
  
"You'd be able to head towards Trakton-Gallows right away," Mihoshi said brightly. "Sure, I'd be happy to loan you my back up."  
  
"Thanks," the captain said as he called his communications officer over his comlink and informed him that they were going to get their hands on the necessary part.   
  
As the transfer was taking place, an idea suddenly occurred to Tenchi. "Mihoshi. Will this ship be heading to Galaxy Police Headquarters?"  
  
Mihoshi nodded her head. "After it drops off its prisoners, yes."  
  
"Is it possible for them to take your prisoners to headquarters for you?"  
  
"Sure. Prisoner transfers happen all the time if one ship is heading towards police headquarters and the other still needs to continue its tour of duty," Mihoshi said happily, and continued to watch the men transfer her reserve antenna to their ship.  
  
After a few moments of inaction on Mihoshi's part, Tenchi said slowly, "Why don't you ask the captain to take the prisoners off your hands and then you won't have to worry about them any more?"  
  
It took a moment for the idea to sink in. "What a great idea. Thanks, Tenchi. You sure are smart sometimes."  
  
"Thanks," Tenchi said uncomfortably at the praise. She just had to be so damn sincere that it was hard not to feel a little unworthy of it.  
  
The captain was only too happy to return a favor to Mihoshi. She transferred all of the necessary paperwork for processing, and the Flockharteans were given their own cell on the transport, seemingly delighted at being removed from Mihoshi's care. Without direct contact with headquarters, Mihoshi thought it would be unlikely there would be any reprimands from her superiors when she returned.   
  
Once the transfer was complete and the transport's engines were repaired, both ships departed and resumed their destinations. Yukinojo had not made it more than three parsecs before he realized something and gained Mihoshi's attention.   
  
"Mihoshi, I've been going over the inventories from the last time we were resupplied at headquarters, and I seem to have discovered some discrepancies."  
  
Mihoshi stared at him in confusion. "I didn't order any discrepancies."  
  
Tenchi was amazed to discover that Galaxy Police ship artificial intelligences were sophisticated enough to sweatdrop.   
  
"Mihoshi, I'm not implying you ordered them. I'm saying there are some on the inventory lists."  
  
"And I'm telling you there can't be any on the list because I didn't order any!" Mihoshi insisted.   
  
"What in the name of a five-headed stellar Tarblist beast are you talking about?!" Yukinojo shouted.  
  
"I could ask you the same question!" Mihoshi shot back just as fiercely.  
  
Tenchi backed away as Yukinojo's voice took on a more icy tone. "I'm telling you there are some discrepancies on the list. You know discrepancies. Something that is at variance with something else."  
  
Mihoshi's eyes took on a knowing light. "Ohh. Why didn't you say so? I thought you meant there were discrepancies, those fancy little chocolate and whip cream pastries they make on Altair 7. You know, the kind that just melts in your mouth when you eat them. They taste so yummy I could eat them all day." Mihoshi licked her lips as she remembered the last time she had tasted the chocolate confections.   
  
"What are you talking about?!" Yukinojo shouted. "There is no such thing as a chocolate pastry on Altair 7 called-" One of his internal computers sent some information to his advanced intelligence circuits. "Well I'll be. There really is a pastry called a discrepancy on Altair 7. Imagine that."  
  
"See." Mihoshi crossed her arms under her ample bosom and stared smugly at the mechanical head. "You have to be more clear if you want to be understood. Ambiguity just breeds confusion, you know."  
  
"That is true," Yukinojo sighed, then decided to get the conversation back on its proper course. "Anyway, there are some variances," he emphasized that word, after making certain there wasn't some kind of outer rim world back bacon with the same name. "On the lists. For instance, it says here that you ordered seventy VX-100 Hammerhead missiles. Now I'm certain what you meant to say was that you ordered seventy VX-1000 Hammerhead missiles. Correct?"  
  
"Let me see. I have the carbon copies of the inventory lists somewhere around here." Even as sophisticated as the Galaxy Police were, they still forced people to fill out handwritten forms in triplicate, even for the requisition of a paper clip. Mihoshi began going through the mess on the floor of the bridge. It took her a couple of minutes to find the crumpled up copy, and then another minute for her to make out the writing, which had a series of coffee stains all over it that reminded her of some contemporary artwork she had seen while on Earth. "Nope. I ordered the VX-100 missiles."  
  
"Mihoshi!" Yukinojo shouted. "How could you have made a mistake like that?! No one has even manufactured VX-100 missiles in over a hundred years, let alone used them! They are slow, present large target profiles thanks to their heavy ray shielding, and their homing sensors are at least two generations behind the VX-1000 series. They're all but useless. I can't believe they even keep them stocked back at headquarters."  
  
"I guess that was why the quartermaster gave me such a funny look when I ordered them," Mihoshi said meekly.  
  
"Thanks goodness we're going on vacation," Yukinojo muttered. Going into combat with such dated weaponry was a sure way to end up dead in a firefight. "Just remember the instant we report back to duty that we get the correct missiles."  
  
"Sure thing," Mihoshi said, brightening considerably since her mistake hadn't cost her anything.   
  
Tenchi had listened to the exchange and, as much as he liked Mihoshi, was suddenly glad he was not her direct superior. The girl was a handful simply as a friend. "How much longer until we get to Aqua Regia?"  
  
"With that delay we had with the prison transport, another day and a half." Mihoshi considered that. She really wanted to get to the planet and relax with Tenchi. "I've got an idea. We can cut out at least half a day if we take a short cut."  
  
"Mihoshi," Yukinojo warned, "stay on the plotted course."  
  
Mihoshi waved dismissively at the mechanical head and began plotting a new course. "Don't be silly. I've taken short cuts lots of times."  
  
"And usually you get us lost," Yukinojo pointed out. "And then we have to contact headquarters in the hopes that they can figure out where we are and how to get back on track to where we're going."  
  
"Not all the time," Mihoshi said.   
  
"It happens often enough," Yukinojo countered in a desperate move that he knew would do no good; Mihoshi had already made up her mind.  
  
"I don't think a short cut is such a good idea," Tenchi said, coming to the same conclusion Yukinojo had, knowing all the while it wasn't going to work as well.  
  
Mihoshi continued laying in the new course. "Oh, you guys. Risk is a part of life."  
  
"Not on vacation it's not supposed to be," Tenchi said, feeling his heart sink into the pit of his stomach for the third time today.  
  
Again Yukinojo spoke. "Mihoshi, I'm begging you, don't take us off course."  
  
"You're such a worrywart. What could possibly go wrong?" Mihoshi said as she finished entering the new course and hit a button.  
  
Tenchi felt the urge to cry as the ship entered hyperspace.  
  
  
Milky Way Galaxy  
Sector 25W.773.2FX  
Class 4 Nebula: Arecheox  
The space station Tartarus  
  
Funuyaki stood there in silence, watching as Stargrave's crew began to remove the metal ball in which the Shihana bloom resided. Supposedly, they were in no real danger. The deadly substance was sealed by three different layers of protection. The first layer was an outer casing composed of adamantine, which was thick enough to withstand anything up to an orbital reentry and remain intact. Inside that was a secondary shell of polynison with a high grade refractory coating. It was a relatively new invention, a clear substance that could disperse nearly all forms of energy and was reputed to be as hard as adamantine. The final defense was a stasis field unit that was within the polynison, which rendered the bloom inert. Unlike the others, it would be easy to destroy or deactivate. It was simply there to help transport the bloom from its container to any others and prevent everyone from dying.   
  
Each layer required a different method of deactivation. The adamantine had a concealed panel that could be accessed easily enough, but to open the shell itself required a twenty-five digit code entered into the keypad. Due to the refractory coating on the polynison, a sonic pulse on a specific wavelength would open it. The stasis fields had no failsafes and could be deactivated with a touch. The idea was that if anyone could get past the first two defenses, the third would be meaningless anyway. Malgaunt was only sharing the code and the sonic frequency with Stargrave. The two seemed to share a private joke about the latter key, assuring Funuyaki that they were the only ones in the quadrant that could possibly open it.  
  
Once Stargrave left Malgaunt's side, Funuyaki moved closer, taking up a position opposite from Onita's as the man remained close to the marshal's side. "That can't really be Shihana. Every trace of it was destroyed. All of it."  
  
"Yeah," Onita added. Funuyaki wondered if the man was going to say more than that, but gave a derisive snort when that was all the commentary he had.   
  
Malgaunt seemed to swell up as he gave a smug look to his aides. "Would you like me to tell you a little story about Shihana and the plant before us? I think you'll find it most intriguing."  
  
There was little Funuyaki wanted more to do in the universe than wipe the smirk off her superior's face. But she wasn't so foolish as to allow her emotions to carry her away, no matter how great her satisfaction would temporarily be. "Please."  
  
A soft chuckle slipped from Malgaunt as he began his tale. "Allow me to go over what you were taught when you were younger, because there's no telling how accurate the information you received really is. Those that rule often filter what information they want to be learned among the general populace. It makes the masses so much easier to control if their knowledge is deliberately tinged with the just right amount of propaganda. I should know. As a marshal of the Galaxy Police, I've been using such tactics for years.  
  
"Slightly over one thousand years ago, a sizable empire by the name of the Whipreck came into contact with the Jurai. Each side decided that the galaxy wasn't large enough for both to exist, so war was quickly declared. The Jurai had the advantage in resources, technology, and tactics. It was only a matter of a year before the Whipreck began losing badly, so they turned to the one area of war in which they exceeded the Jurai: biological weapons.   
  
"Desperate times breed desperate measures. To that end, one of their scientists made a breakthrough the universe would later curse as 'Shihana.' It really was a remarkable piece of work, and I can only guess at the genius of the individual that primarily designed it. His knowledge far outstripped anything even the Ministry of Science could come up with, even to this day.   
  
"The plant itself wasn't the problem, by the way. It was the spores it created. The spores were microscopic in size, about the size of most standard viruses, which was what its genetic pattern was partially based upon. The little thing really is quite deliciously simple. Once the plant was exposed to an ecosystem, no matter how big or how small, it would release the spores. Once released, the spores would attach themselves to every lifeform they encountered, no matter how large or small, and drain it of its life energy at an unbelievable rate. It would drain a standard human-sized lifeform within four minutes. It would then use the energy it absorbed to replicate itself at a rate faster than anything ever encountered. The new spores would then repeat the cycle until every living thing on the entire planet was drained, and I mean everything, including plant life and microscopic creatures.   
  
"Apparently, the spores, through some unknown means, transferred at least part of the drained energy to the mother plant, for once the spores ran out of things to feed, they died off and the mother plant would follow. Don't let that fool you. Destroying the mother plant after it had released its spores was no defense; they functioned independently of the plant and would continue on their merry path of genocide.   
  
"The spores were designed to propel themselves at an incredible rate of speed, being able to travel through air, liquids, even the soil of a planet itself. About the only thing they could not survive in was a vacuum, making them completely terrestrial bound. They also could not penetrate any air-tight enclosures, so there were defenses against them. However, if even one so much as made contact with an organism, it was over. The only limitation they had was that without some life form to draw energy from, they would die within forty eight hours of their last feeding. The main plant from which they had spawned would die about two hours after the last spore. Also, they could not be transported more than a million miles from the host plant, or they would die rather than replicate or drain. Yet another fail-safe placed upon this biological weapon.  
  
"It really is a fascinating method of control. Given this almost self-destructive capability, it would make it almost impossible for Shihana to be used against the Whipreck, just as the plant's designers had planned.  
  
"The actual creation of the plant was a carefully guarded secret. Likewise, once it was created, it had to be contained properly and put into stasis, lest the plant blossomed and require a constant, controlled string of lifeforms to sustain it until it could be delivered to its destination before it died.   
  
"Once the Whipreck were confident Shihana was effective, and that it couldn't be used against them, they unleashed it upon their enemies. Upon completion of the original batch of plants, the Whipreck went to work. Fifty-three worlds were infected by the plant. The only place they failed to get one onto was the Jurai throneworld. Everywhere else they released it, it was a success. The effect was devastating, despite the fact the Whipreck left some tactically important worlds unaffected, hoping to bend them to their own empire's will after they took over. Most worlds tended to succumb to the plant within three days of its initial release, less if the planet was small.   
  
"Shihana was completely effective, razing every world it came into contact with. Hundreds of billions died within that first week it was released upon the largely unsuspecting galaxy. No lifeform was spared as entire planets became lifeless rocks floating in space. Years later, others would remark grimly that the universe had become a quieter place thanks to the Whipreck. Few sentient races truly suffered genocide, almost every race had numbers that were off planet at the time, but many of them were pushed to the brink of extinction. Even centuries later, all of them are but former shadows of what they once were, their planets taken from them and essentially lost forever.   
  
"The Juraian Empire was predictably thrown into disarray by the massive attack. The Whipreck coordinated the release with their fleet, making huge leaps and gains in the war. Right now we would probably be a part of the Whipreck Empire had not fortune smiled on the Jurai in the form of Whipreck rebels. There were many of them, including high-standing members of the government and the military, that were so disgusted with their own empire's actions that they chose to betray their leaders rather than allow the Whipreck Empire to go unpunished. They gave the Jurai information on what had ravished their worlds and where the only facilities for Shihana were stored on the homeworld. They then aided a quickly assembled Juraian fleet, one that was basically sent on a suicide mission, to the Whipreck Empire's homeworld and used inside information that would enable them to at least make it to the planet alive.   
  
"The Juraian fleet was slaughtered to the ship, but not before they destroyed all the facilities that contained the information about Shihana and all of the specialized equipment needed to produce the plant, as well as the remaining existing batch of it. They also managed to assault the capital of the empire and killed the Emperor and the majority of the ruling body.  
  
"Now it was the Whipreck's turn to reel from their losses as the Jurai launched a merciless counterattack upon the Whipreck. Within a month the war was over, every part of the Whipreck Empire had been defeated. As punishment for their actions, the Emperor decided to be merciful and simply exiled the master race of the Whipreck from their homeworld and this part of the galaxy, forcing them to go beyond the outer rim forever. As for those that had created Shihana, everyone that was the least bit involved in the project was executed. The only information that the Jurai were able to salvage were pictures of the flower itself and what it was capable of doing. It was made a part of every Imperial planet's learning curriculum as to what the flower looked like and what it was capable of doing, so that everyone knows the evils that can be inflicted upon the universe."  
  
"If what you say is true, then how can that exist?" Funuyaki said, pointing to the gunmetal-gray orb that the plant was now encased within. Onita simply looked at the orb, then back at Malgaunt.  
  
The marshal's grin grew wider. He loved having information others lacked. Seeing open looks of disbelief on their faces when confronted with the seemingly impossible always amused him. And then, as calm as deep space, he would explain to them in an obvious fashion how wrong they were and why. Almost inevitably their looks would change from disbelief to resentment directed towards him for knowing so much more than they. That look was one of the reasons he had enjoyed arresting criminals so much. He loved deceiving them into believing they would get away with their crime, then would show them the evidence that would put them away. As much as those scum hated being caught, they loathed him just as much for being so superior to them in every way. And as much as he liked Funuyaki, it was time to remind her of that fact.   
  
"You forget, the Whipreck failed to get one of the flowers through to the Jurai homeworld itself. During the initial attack, they did attempt to release one there, but what ended up happening was that our very own Galaxy Police managed to intercept the flower before it got to planetary orbit. Not only that, the self-destruct circuit on the smuggler's ship failed, and we managed to capture the plant intact, while it was still in its stasis field. Of course, at the time we had no idea of what we had obtained. It was assumed to be some kind of new plant that could produce a drug. It wasn't until after the war that we discovered what we had on our hands. Although once it was certain, it became a matter for the Jurai Security Directorate.  
  
"Why didn't they just destroy the damn thing instead of playing around with it?" Funuyaki asked as she watched Stargrave's crew continue to prepare the Shihana for transport.   
  
"Because what was once created can be created again." Malgaunt sounded as though he was repeating some ancient proverb. For a moment there he had thought Funuyaki would figure the reason out on her own -she was quite smart- but it appeared that she was not going to guess. "The Empire wanted a cure to the plant, and it was willing to commit whatever resources were necessary to achieve that goal. Rather than alert the general population that this instrument of planetary destruction still existed, they suppressed all knowledge of its existence, save for a handful of people that would be involved directly in the project; the Emperor and some of his most trusted aides, members of the Imperial Academy Science Division, high ranking officers in the Galaxy Police, and the highest levels of the Jurai Security Directorate.  
  
"After what happened with the Shihana the first time it was released upon the universe, there was no way the remaining plant was ever going to be allowed near a populated system. A secret base was set up on a remote asteroid in the Cygni Quadrant, and it remained there for a number of decades. However, it was nearly destroyed in a freak accident and the base had to be abandoned. From there it was moved frequently from desolate place to desolate place, never remaining in one spot too long for fear someone would learn of its location and try to steal it. As inconvenient as it was, it was the only way those in charge felt safe.   
  
"And then they discovered the Anomaly. Its unique location made it an ideal place to research the cure. Given the multiple layers of protection and secrecy surrounding the base, the only way it could ever be stolen-"  
  
"-was with a high-ranking inside man," Funuyaki finished for him.  
  
"Just so," Malgaunt said smugly.   
  
"But if there's only this one-" Funuyaki started.  
  
"Well, yes and no," Malgaunt said. "Yes, there is only this one, but over the years, as the scientists tried to create a cure, and failed, I might add, they did learn how to create more of the plants. I think they were reconstructing it in their minds as a better method of coming up with a cure. In any case, even with what they discovered, they couldn't make a new one from scratch, but they could make others using an already existing plant. And it just so happens I retrieved that information on this little disk." Malgaunt held a three inch gold disk for all to see. He then pocketed it and went back to smiling.  
  
"She's ready for transport," one of Stargrave's men said as he triple checked the seals on the prize.   
  
Sa'bre Stargrave gave the order for the crew to move it out to the Rack n' Ruin. From there they were to load it onto the special containment cylinder that had been added to the bottom of the ship specifically for the mission. Stargrave explained that there was no way he was going to travel with the Shihana having any direct access to the ship. The tube might have been vulnerable, but in Stargrave's opinion it was worth the risk.  
  
Sa'bre's men handled the container with great care, not caring that they could not crack the casing on it even if they tried. The transport from the labs to the ship went by without a problem, though at one point Stargrave stopped to listen to a report from some of his men in the ship. After it was finished, he informed Malgaunt that he had been correct about the crew of Tartarus trying to use the ventilation ducts to effect an escape. Stargrave's men shot several of them that had made the attempt, driving the others back to the barracks. Malgaunt assured him they would not have time to try anything else as the group continued to the docking bay.  
  
Upon arriving there, the adamantine ball was loaded into the long silver cylinder that was affixed to the bottom of the vessel. It was only twenty feet long and ten feet wide, but it was made with two feet of pure durasteel, and was fused to the hull of the vessel. Stargrave was convinced nothing short of the ship's destruction would dislodge the container from his vessel.  
  
After it was loaded and the final preparations for lift off were made, Sa'bre recalled his men from Tartarus. As the last members of the crew boarded, leaving only Stargrave and the trio of traitorous Galaxy Police officers, Malgaunt pulled out the control pad that was still slaved to the station's controls. Funuyaki watched with close interest.   
  
"What are you doing now?"  
  
Malgaunt finished punching in a sequence on his pad. "Oh, I'm just sending a distress call to headquarters."  
  
"What?!" Funuyaki and Onita shouted as one.  
  
Malgaunt's face nearly ached with all of the smiling he had done in the last few hours. Those that had spent long amounts of time with him knew that he almost never smiled, yet today had proven a most joyous time for him. "It seems there's been a malfunction in the ship's directional engines. They've misfired, sending Tartarus on a course that takes it out of the Anomaly and into Hell's Gate itself." He punched in another set of commands, and the station began to move. "How unfortunate that the shields are also down, meaning the station won't last fifteen minutes in the nebula." Malgaunt turned to head up the ramp to the Rack n'Ruin. "We'd best be off, people, unless you'd like to get a closer look at one of the most destructive forces in the universe."  
  
Funuyaki turned her gaze back at the station. "Do we really have to kill all of them?"  
  
Stargrave gave her a false smile and turned back to Malgaunt, a look of pure amusement upon his face. "Yes, really, killing all of your men like that is a pretty terrible thing. How can you live with yourself?"  
  
Malgaunt's face turned a bit more serious as the smile disappeared. "They never appreciated me. I tried to make them into the best and most efficient force in the galaxy. I was stern only because it furthered my causes, and thus the causes of the Galaxy Police. Yet in return they refused to appreciate my abilities, never mind the fact I was clearly superior to them. If they had followed me rather than standing in my way, allowed me to lead the Galaxy Police as was my right, I would have taken them to levels they never would have dreamt of. But instead they allowed those two fools in front of me to lead, them and their pitiful ideals that did nothing but hold us back. They refused my rightful place as the one in charge and behind my back referred to me derisively as 'Ballbreaker.' They don't really deserve my talents."  
  
"So you're going to kill all of them?" Stargrave's face remained its cheerful self.   
  
"No," Malgaunt said as he entered the Rack n'Ruin. "I'm going to lead them, those that have the vision to follow my lead, like Funuyaki and Onita here." He turned a smile their way.  
  
"So you're killing them because you're pissed at them?" Funuyaki asked. She was surprised at how she was able to keep anything but a neutral tone to her voice.  
  
"Of course not," Malgaunt scoffed. "If I disposed of everyone that angered me, I'd end up killing as many people as Shihana did. I'm sending these men into the Anomaly because they represent a threat to me. You should be able to appreciate that, Lieutenant."  
  
Funuyaki flinched slightly at the statement, but before she could speak, Stargrave interrupted them both. "After all, we can't have anyone realizing that Shihana was taken from the station before it fell into Hell's Gate, now can we? Also, it covers the 'deaths' of yourself, Mr. Onita, and Marshal Malgaunt here. No one will have the faintest idea that you weren't on the station when it goes boom."  
  
"Aside from that, there's another reason I'm sending the transmission," Malgaunt continued. "Before we left, I planted a virus, using someone else's access of course, into the mainframe of the computer system at headquarters. It's a devilish little thing, cooked up by one of Stargrave's techmasters, though it has all of the earmarks of a group of high-grade computer hackers called the Malcontents."  
  
Stargrave bowed with flourish as the ramp closed and the thrusters of the ship began a loud whine. The ship lurched as it removed itself from the docking clamps that held it in place.  
  
"Thanks to my inside information on the system, the techmaster designed it to cut through all of our anti-virus protection programs like they weren't there. Right now, it's hiding in the system. Five minutes after I send the Priority Alpha One transmission that the station is in trouble, the virus will take that as a signal to release itself into the system. The first thing it will do is attach itself to the communications system. Since this is a top priority message, it will automatically be transmitted to every Galaxy Police ship there is. On every one of those transmissions will be the virus, which is also designed to cut through the ships' anti-virus programs as well. After the message is sent, then the virus will activate on the station, shutting down every computer in headquarters and every ship under our command. The entire Galaxy Police force will be shut down and rendered ineffective. That will buy us more than enough time to complete what we have to do without interference from them."  
  
Funuyaki could scarcely believe her ears, but everything Malgaunt had told her was fully within his capabilities. As impossible as it seemed, it did appear he had taken everything into account. The plan sounded foolproof. As the ship took off, Funuyaki realized there was something Malgaunt had said that did not make sense. "What do you mean, 'complete what we have to do'? I thought our mission was accomplished. We have Shihana."  
  
Stargrave chuckled at the woman's misassumption as he felt the ship head out into the Anomaly. "And just what do you suppose we can do with it? Extort a few worlds with the threat of the plant? Kill a few races we don't like? Use it to prove we're willing to?" He made a broad gesture with his arms. "Perhaps we would try to take over the Empire itself? You, me, and our merry little band of pirates, eh? I'm certain the thousand or so of my people in my organization could take command of the entire Empire in a matter of days."  
  
Funuyaki looked on in confusion at him. He had raised a valid point. "Then what is the plan for it?"  
  
"Why, we're going to sell it," Stargrave said. Laughing, he turned away from Funuyaki, leaving her to wonder what his enigmatic statement meant. His spirits were still high as he made his way to the bridge. True, his crew was competent and departing the Anomaly to enter the safe passage through Hell's Gate would not be a problem, but there was something satisfying about being in the captain's chair as the Rack n' Ruin made its way through space, taking them on the path to their ultimate destiny.  
  
And in the Anomaly, the space station called Tartarus plunged into the turbulent storms of the nebula, never to be seen again.  
  
  
It was two hours later that Funuyaki made her way to the bridge, unable to stand staring at the ceiling any longer. Malgaunt had all but ordered her and Onita to get some rest while they could, vaguely hinting that something was going to happen in several hours and that he wanted them in good shape to deal with whatever might come. More mysterious references by Malgaunt that meant nothing other than to add to the tension that Funuyaki had already felt. Tension that was ready to bury her under its weight.   
  
They went to the small room with the two bunks that had been assigned to her and Onita by Stargrave. The cells at Galaxy Police headquarters were nicer. It was a dingy little room with a couple of bunk beds that somehow managed to take up two thirds of the room. Given the impressive size of the vessel, and the number of crewmen it held, she was certain this was the worst room Stargrave could have come up with, outside of making both her and Onita sleep in an airlock. She had not been around the criminal for long, but she was under the distinct impression that he would kill both her and Onita in a heartbeat if it was not for Malgaunt's presence. That meant being more alert than ever, lest Sa'bre change his mind and decide that they were not worth keeping around after all, even if it was against Malgaunt's wishes.  
  
Still, she had laid down and tried to get at least a little rest. Onita had fallen asleep the instant his head hit the pillow, but Funuyaki simply lay there, staring at the ceiling and trying to figure out how she had come to this, murdering her own comrades and working with the scum she used to arrest and sometimes kill. How low her life had fallen, thanks both to herself and Malgaunt.  
  
She did everything she could to avoid those answers, trying to figure out what Malgaunt could possibly be up to. However, nothing came to mind, and after a while her need to know became too great to allow her to simply lay there and wonder what was going to happen next. She wanted answers and she needed them now. There was no telling what was actually happening, and she was tired of operating completely in the dark. Up until that moment she had been reactive, but now she was going to do what they had taught her at the academy and be proactive. Among this den of vipers she had to tread carefully, or one of the scum was sure to take her down if the opportunity presented itself.  
  
Funuyaki made her way to the bridge, managing to avoid any members of the crew. She wondered if perhaps Stargrave had told his own men to get some rest too, in light of what was coming up, whatever it was. As she made her way through the ship, she saw that it was well maintained, just like any military ship would be. Her estimation of Sa'bre moved up a notch. Unlike most of the criminals she had met up with during her years as an undercover officer, Stargrave and his men showed an uncannily high quality of discipline, which made them far more dangerous than the above average criminal. They also at least temporarily had Malgaunt helping them, which quite possibly made them the deadliest people in the entire universe. She was now more cautious than ever.  
  
The doors to the bridge opened as Funuyaki stepped through them. All eyes turned towards her for a moment, then went back to whatever tasks they had been engaged in.   
  
Malgaunt was on the bridge, off to the side next to the sensor arrays where some other crewman was manning the controls. He motioned for her to approach, and she did. Before she could speak, Malgaunt held his hand up to her and softly said, "Don't say anything. I want you to watch the crew."  
  
Funuyaki found herself obeying her superior, if he could still be considered that. She watched them with the trained eye of a professional police officer with ten years of undercover work under her belt. For fifteen minutes she did nothing but watch them talk, do their jobs, joke with one another, and whatever else they did. At the end of the ten minutes, Malgaunt again spoke, only loud enough for himself and Funuyaki to hear. "What do you make of this crew?"  
  
It was an odd question. Funuyaki wondered what game Malgaunt was up to, but decided to play along. If she wanted to get any answers from him, she was going to have to obey, at least for now. "In spite of their non-matching uniforms and non-professional attitudes, they are quite competent. All of them seem to do their jobs efficiently and effectively, although why they have a death wish in letting a Katasan fly the ship is beyond me."  
  
Malgaunt nodded in agreement. Katasans always stood out in a room. They were nearly seven feet tall, felinoid creatures that possessed silver fur that covered their entire bodies and a penchant for wearing as little clothing as possible. Luckily they tended to shed very little. They had something of a snout that contained sharp, pointed teeth that made one think of a housecat, at least as long as those fangs were not used against them. The housecat comparison rarely held up once they discovered one of the Katasans unusual tendencies. Their race was very short lived, no members of it reaching past the age of twenty standard years, though few made it to even half of that. There was one universal character flaw that made them one of the shortest lived races around.  
  
Katasans, as a race, were action junkies. There was little they loved more than traveling at high speeds. Their incredibly quick reflexes and equally quick minds made them more than capable pilots, able to handle just about any vehicle in the universe. There was only one major problem with Katasan pilots though; they always preferred to travel at excessive speeds. It might have made them one of the most feared starfighter pilots in the galaxy, but it also made them one of the most feared commercial pilots as well. Simply put, unless one needed to get somewhere fast, and it was a matter of life or death, it was considered reckless to allow a Katasan to fly you there. Some planets even prohibited Katasan pilots from flying ships in their zones, for no matter how quick and how good of a pilot a Katasan was, sooner or later, a mistake was made and it often led to death. It was rare to come across a Katasan that was ten years old, most having died in some accident or shot down long before that.  
  
"Her name is Fera. She's five years old, and every inch a true Katasan," Malgaunt told Funuyaki. "She's been flying for Stargrave for a year now, and probably the only one that could have done that daredevil maneuvering that allowed them to get to the station. Still, Stargrave is a braver man than I for making her his personal pilot," Malgaunt admitted.  
  
Malgaunt brushed off some white fur that had made somehow made it onto his black uniform, After making certain he was immaculate once more, he pointed out the first mate of the Rack n'Ruin, Ariana Taguyu. "And what do you make of her?"  
  
Again Funuyaki slipped into her inspector mode. "She moves slowly, but with skill, always tensed and ready to lash out. She's vain but attractive, so that's justified slightly. Ordinarily, looks can get you as far as skill among some criminal organizations, but not this one. She's at least as lethal as she appears. She has a slight Andarean accent, so she most likely comes from that world, perhaps a former lady of the nobility. It's my understanding all of them are trained in the arts of assassination and self-defense so as to serve their husbands more effectively. There is a definite attraction on her part towards Stargrave; she keeps stealing glances his way, but he doesn't return it as much. Most of other members of the crew seem a little tense when she passes by, so it's possible she serves as Stargrave's primary enforcer, or hit woman, as well."  
  
"Very good," Malgaunt said softly. "You are correct. It's nice to see your detective skills remain as sharp as ever. I might have need of them in the near future. Right now, I need competent allies, besides Sa'bre. I do trust him, but it is more of a trust among equals, and I need my own people right now. In return, I think you could be rewarded with your own, say, planet? At least a moon, to be certain. We'll name it, Funuyaki. Would you like that?"  
  
That was all it took for Funuyaki's temper to snap. She was tired of Malgaunt's games. "What are you talking about?! What's going on?!"  
  
All eyes, save Fera's, turned towards the source of the disruption. Malgaunt himself seemed unmoved, and not surprised, by the outburst. "Fair enough. However, I think it would be better if Captain Stargrave were to explain. I'm certain his crew is curious, too." Malgaunt deferred towards Sa'bre, who bowed his head slightly in return.   
  
The captain cleared his throat and began, focusing mostly on his crew but affording Funuyaki a glance as well. "I know I have kept most of you in the dark as to the exact nature of this mission. The secrecy was necessary for all of our survival, since if even a single word of our stealing of Shihana had slipped, it would have most likely resulted in our deaths at the hands of the Galaxy Police, or Jurai's Security Directorate. We have stolen this deadly weapon, and the means to produce more of it, with the intention not to use it ourselves, but to sell it to someone that can use it far more effectively than us."  
  
All eyes were riveted upon Stargrave, his carefully measured tones commanding everyone's complete attention. Somewhere in the back of Funuyaki's mind, she applauded his speech-making talents. The man possessed a natural charisma that was rarely seen.   
  
"They are the Yagdagron, one of the outer systems the Jurai 'annexed' to the Empire about two hundred years ago. And in a short while, after obtaining Shihana, they will be in complete control of what is now the Jurai Empire." Sa'bre allowed that information to sink in.   
  
Funuyaki was the first to speak up. "How are they going to do it?"  
  
The usual belligerent tone that Sa'bre directed toward Funuyaki was absent as he said, "They have been building a space fleet for the last century, hiding it in a planetary system far away from the Jurai Empire. Actually, I've been funneling a great deal of arms and materials their way over the last ten years. Right now it's only about one fifth the size of Jurai's fleet, and their weapons are slightly inferior, but it is an effective force. Alone, they wouldn't stand a chance, however with a planet killer like Shihana in their hands, they become vastly more effective.  
  
"Unlike the Whipreck, the Yagdagron are going to successfully seed the Jurai Throneworld, as well as many other key systems. With Marshal Malgaunt's inside information on the planetary security of those worlds, it will be easy." Stargrave's voice seemed to rise slightly, and Funuyaki was surprised to see that he was indeed allowing his emotions to take over for him now  
  
"With this lightning fast strike, in concert with the Yagdagron fleet attacking key military locations, the Empire will be crippled in a matter of days and surrender in a matter of one week, perhaps two at the most. And in return for our 'patriotic' assistance in aiding them in the overthrow of the evil and depraved Jurai Empire, I will be given control over one of the sectors of the new Empire, under the banner of the Yagdagron, of course. And Marshal Malgaunt here will be given control of the Galaxy Police, after the organization falls under the Yagdagron's control and is freed from its function of being nothing more than a puppet of the Emperor of Jurai."  
  
Malgaunt made a sweeping gesture toward the crew of the Rack n'Ruin. "And now that I am among you, I see what horrible wrongs my organization has done in labeling you criminals. I give pardons to all of you."  
  
The crew fell into the mood and gave a cheer at that. Funuyaki just gave Malgaunt a disgusted look, then turned away so no one could see her face. Over and over in her mind, she kept asking herself, just what she had managed to get herself into.  
  
Seeming to take notice of her concern, Malgaunt turned towards her. "I know the scope of this might have caught you off guard, but let me assure you, it'll pay off in the end. When the smoke settles, we'll be running the show. And if you possess even half of the promise your potential shows, you'll end up being second-in-command of the entire Galaxy Police. And then your little indiscretions in the past will all be forgotten, since we'll be in charge of everything."  
  
Funuyaki was barely able to listen to Malgaunt, her mind recoiling with the information. She had always been told stories by her grandmother about being made an offer by the devil, but Funuyaki had scoffed at such tales, claiming there was no such things as devils. Now here she was, standing next to someone that fit the description all too well and discovering herself in a situation that was so similar to those stories that it made her tremble. Unfortunately, unlike the heroes of those stories, she was not a wholesome and nice person that simply found herself in a bad situation. Did she even have a soul left to sell away anymore?  
  
A wizened, rasping voice spoke from the far side of the bridge, gaining everyone's, including Funuyaki's, attention. She stared in surprise at what had made the sound, for on her first examination of the crew of the bridge, she had assumed the lump in the seat was someone's canvas bag, it was withered so much. It never occurred to her it was actually a living being. Now looking at it closely, she saw that it could not have been more than three feet in height and had gray mottled flesh over which every square centimeter were wrinkles. The fact that it was wearing a brown pantsuit, which pooled around the bottom of its legs, helped add to its sacklike appearance. Again the voice spoke, leaving Funuyaki to guess that it was male, judging by how deep the voice was.  
  
The being continued speaking in its raspy voice, staring at the crew through eyes that were barely able to focus on the crew because of the many folds of wrinkled flesh hanging from its face. "You think overthrowing empires is hot shit? Well you're wrong. I remember when I was a lot younger, oh, about three hundred thousand years ago, I was operating in a galaxy far away and met this young fellow named, Vanth Dreadlok, or something or other. Used to go around with a kick ass sword and an ugly looking skull headed mage with a red eye. Anyway, ole' Vanth knocked over three entire galactic empires all on his own, one of them he had even helped set up. You'd think someone that went around doing that like it was some sort of hobby would be pretty happy, considering how successful he was. Well he wasn't. Couldn't stand the work. All the time he was miserable, setting up rebellions and destroying insidious church figures and power mad despots. All he really wanted to do was farm."  
  
Stargrave spoke up. "So the moral of the story is, if we help overthrow the Jurai Empire, we'll probably end up miserable like Mr. Dreadlok was?"  
  
"In a word, yes," the bag of flesh said.  
  
"You'll forgive me if I decide to take my chances," Stargrave said dryly as he and the crew went back to commanding the ship.   
  
"You'll be sorry," the lump warned, then went back to watching the crew move around.  
  
"What is that thing?" Funuyaki asked Malgaunt in a quiet voice, her attention riveted on the creature that had just spoken to everyone.  
  
"No one knows for certain," he told her. "His name is Autolycus, and he claims to be an Allurian, and over a million years old."  
  
"He doesn't look a century over five hundred thousand," Funuyaki said.  
  
"Indeed." Malgaunt smiled at the joke. "He apparently came from a galaxy a lot farther away than our own. It's my understanding that he has been with the Rack n'Ruin since it was built, and that Stargrave keeps him around because of a promise he made to the previous captain of the ship. As far as I can tell, his primary purpose is to say how 'things in the old days used to be a lot better than what they are today'. Pay him no mind. He's just a senile bag of flesh that I wouldn't tolerate the way Stargrave does, promise or not."  
  
At that point, Stargrave called Malgaunt over to the captain's chair in the center of the bridge, essentially leaving Funuyaki alone with her thoughts. The whole situation had become something far greater than she possibly could have imagined. They were talking about nothing less than a complete overthrow of the Empire. And worse, it actually sounded like they had a chance to succeed at it.   
  
Things were continuing to spiral out of control. Killing a few people, even if they were her fellow Galaxy Police officers, was one thing, but now she was a party to what was going to amount to planetary genocide. Billions upon billions were going to end up dead, and if the Yagdagron's plan wasn't executed perfectly, billions more would die in the ensuing war.   
  
However, there was the payoff that Malgaunt had implied she would get. A moon of her own to control. Being second in command of a new Galaxy Police force. The questions began to overwhelm her. Was Malgaunt telling her the truth? What was she to him? A protégé he respected and mostly trusted? A tool for him to use as he would? A form of protection from Stargrave, should the criminal decide to turn on him? A witness to his crimes that knew too much and would be disposed of when she was no longer needed? When all of this was over, what would she be? One of the most powerful and influential people in a new galactic order, one of the Galaxy's most wanted criminals, responsible for the deaths of billions, or an unnamed corpse in some backwater alley with a knife sticking out of its back?  
  
And the most important question of all, was any of what she was going through worth it?  
  
"We're dropping out of hyperspace," Fera announced in what sounded more like a growl than an actual language.   
  
The darkness of hyperspace gave way to the twinkling stars of normal space as the ship continued onward, until Funuyaki saw they were approaching a binary star system, the twin suns appearing very close to one another, despite being tens of thousands of miles apart.   
  
"Where are we?" Funuyaki asked.   
  
"At our rendezvous point," Malgaunt said.  
  
Sa'bre spun in his chair to face Funuyaki as the Rack n'Ruin continued on a course that would take it between the two suns. "This is an out of the way smuggler's run that even the Galaxy Police don't know about. It's a rather unique run. Generally, it's only used when two parties arrange a meeting and want to ensure privacy. There is only one narrow safe route between the twin suns, and unless one is already close, sensors won't pick up a ship being here. The suns' close proximity makes anything other than short-range sensors useless. Once inside the run, you can see whoever can see you, and take care of them accordingly. Not that there are more than perhaps a dozen people that actually have the coordinates to this place. This system is far away from any inhabited worlds and isn't remotely close to any interstellar traffic lanes. We're in the middle of nowhere, and there isn't the slightest reason anyone other than another smuggler would come out here. It's the perfect place to conduct our transaction."  
  
"Indeed," Malgaunt agreed as he watched the ship come to rest between the suns and waited for their associates to arrive.  
  
They didn't have to wait long. Only two hours passed before a ship came out of hyperspace and made a cautious approach to the Rack n'Ruin. Funuyaki looked at the main viewscreen, which showed a picture of the new arrival. It was huge, easily twice as large as a Juraian Battleship and shaped like a large mound that reminded Funuyaki of a high tech ant hill. It was made of a silver metal, and had multiple external gun emplacements dotting its hull. It was a fearsome image.  
  
"A Yagdagron Dreadnought," Malgaunt said as the ship drew closer. Everyone, save Malgaunt and Stargrave, looked at it in awe. "It's powerful enough to go toe to toe with a Juraian main battleship and win. Regrettably, the Yagdagron have only managed to make five of them to date. Or perhaps that's fortunate, since if they had more, they wouldn't need us."  
  
"Recognition code sent and confirmed. They say they are ready for the transfer," Sa'bre's communication's man said.  
  
Stargrave rose from his chair and raised his fists in triumph. "This is it! The end of the thrice damned Jurai Empire is at hand! Within a month it will be nothing more than a footnote in the history books and it will all be in thanks to me!" He continued laughing as the dreadnought drew ever closer.   
  
"Indeed," Malgaunt agreed in more quiet, yet just as intense, tones that somehow matched Stargrave's emotional outburst. "Nothing can stop us now. Nothing."  
  
A movement out of the corner of her eye caught Funuyaki's attention. It was a small gesture, that no one save herself seemed to have caught. The thing the others called Autolycus had done something very peculiar, at least to Funuyaki's eye, for the creature had not reacted to either its captain's or Malgaunt's declarations. Instead it seemed to be looking off in the distance, it's eyes unfocused until a moment ago, when it did the thing that caught Funuyaki's attention, and somehow, Funuyaki knew it had not been prompted because of either of the speeches.  
  
Autolycus gave a satisfied smile.  
  
And then a warning klaxon sounded as one of the crewmen announced, "Ship coming out of hyperspace directly in-between the suns. Sensors have identified it as a standard Galaxy Police space cruiser and its heading directly towards our position."  
  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
Special thanks to Kara Ohki and L. Ang for looking this over  
  
Bonus points if you actually can spot what the some of the obscure references and figures that were named in some of the jokes, like Keyser Soze, and such.  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. chapter 4

Vacation Days  
Chapter 4  
  
  
A Tenchi Muyo! Fic  
This uses the OVA continuity.   
  
Any and all C+C craved for. You can contact me at  
sommer@3rdm.net  
  
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Tenchi Muyo! materials   
  
All of my stuff is now stored at:  
http://angcobra.jumpfun.com/dbsommer.html  
  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
Panic reigned on the bridge of the Rack N'Ruin as the various members of the crew took up battle stations and prepared for the incoming vessel. Funuyaki watched with a cool detachment that surprised even her as the crew armed lasers, primed shields, and prepared as though they were going to be in for the battle of their lives. Even the much vaunted captain of the vessel seemed to be in shock at the sudden disruption in his so-called perfect plan.   
  
But perhaps the most amusing thing to Funuyaki was Malgaunt's reaction to the whole situation. His jaw literally hung open as he stared in surprise at the approaching Galaxy Police cruiser. She had always wondered how the 'master planner' would react when one of his plans fell through on him, although even she had not expected his reaction to be this extreme. It made her wonder how he had ever risen to his position in the first place. Surely he had tasted defeat on any number of occasions and he had to have dealt with it better than he was doing now. It would be interesting to see how he recovered, in any case.  
  
The recovery was quick in coming. Malgaunt took a deep, calming breath -that seemed to do at least a little good- and bolted across the bridge. He cut in front of the captain's chair, where Stargrave was still staring in shock at the viewscreen, and made his way to the sensor station. As he arrived, he stood directly behind the chair of a crewman handling the sensor arrays. For a brief moment, Funuyaki thought he was going to pull the man from the seat and take it himself, but patience seemed to win out as he settled for staring over the younger man's shoulder and tried to get a better look at the dull blue screen.   
  
Funuyaki followed at a much more controlled pace, still amused by the whole situation. She wasn't sure why that was. Realistically, she should have been as concerned as the others; her neck was just as much on the line as theirs. Perhaps it was something as simple as seeing the people that had held the reigns of power over her getting jerked off their feet and falling victim to the winds of fate. Perhaps she wanted to see them squirm a little, just like she had for the last few hours, and see how they liked it. Perhaps secretly she wanted to see them fail.  
  
Or perhaps she had just stopped giving a damn about the whole thing.  
  
She arrived at the console and stood next to Malgaunt, her shoulder brushing against his as she inserted herself between her boss and the younger crewman. She leaned closer and watched the sensor screen intensely. If Malgaunt minded her intrusion, he gave no indication of it; his full attention was still riveted to the screen as well.   
  
All of the information flashing across the viewscreen was quickly assimilated by Malgaunt. The Galaxy Police ship was still well outside both the Rack N' Ruin's and dreadnought's guns. Although at the rate it was approaching, it wouldn't take long to close the distance. Not long at all.   
  
"It's definitely a standard Galaxy Police cruiser," Yent Streen, the officer at the sensor control, and with two Galaxy Police officers staring over his shoulder, confirmed.  
  
"I thought you said that computer virus would render every one of your ships inoperative," Ariana said from her position next to Stargrave. The cold glare she shot towards Malgaunt would have made her attitude towards him known even if there had not been a tone of accusation in her voice. Her hand slowly drifted over the butt of the modified laser pistol she kept in the holster at her waist. Fractionally, Funuyaki's hand drifted to her shoulder holster as well.  
  
Malgaunt gave her little more than a contemptuous glance in return. "It did," he turned his attention to Stargrave, "assuming the virus was correctly manufactured."   
  
Sa'bre reacted to the statement that was somehow both questioning and accusatory at the same time. "I guarantee it was, assuming the information on the computers anti-virus programs was accurate." Using his remarkable oratory skills, he matched the tone of voice he had received from Malgaunt perfectly.  
  
Other crewmembers were less calm in the face of the approaching vessel. One of them shouted that they ought to leave before the rest of the fleet got there. The suggestion was immediately shared by the majority of the crewmen. The noise level rose in direct conjunction with the rising tide of panic, and threatened to take control of the situation.  
  
"BE SILENT!" Malgaunt roared before Stargrave had a chance to get his crew back under control. The crew fell silent before the order from the unexpected quarter. Before they had a chance to recover from their surprise, Malgaunt spoke to Streen once again, loud enough to be heard by the others. With a steady flow of information, Malgaunt hoped they would stay quiet until he could come up with a plan that would get them out of their unexpected predicament.  
  
"Identify that ship. I want to know who he is." Malgaunt issued the order as he would with any subordinate of the Galaxy Police.  
  
"How?" Streen gave him a helpless look.  
  
Despite the tension of the situation, Malgaunt found his command confidence restored. Once again, he adopted the role of a superior instructing an incompetent officer. "Run its transponder signal through the decoding equipment I gave your captain several months ago to help prevent you from being captured. You did install it, didn't you?"  
  
Streen gave an embarrassed look towards Malgaunt. He waited until the program began running before he found the courage to say, "I forgot we had it. It wasn't like we had to use it in all that time. No GP spaceship has come close to crossing our path."  
  
"There's no time for excuses," Malgaunt said coolly, effectively ending any further attempts by Streen to restore some of his dignity.   
  
"What's going on?"   
  
Funuyaki looked away from the screen and toward the main door to the bridge. There was a hiss as the gunmetal gray door shut after disgorging its passenger. Apparently the warning klaxon had served as a wake up call for her fellow lieutenant. For Onita, the instant he saw Malgaunt and Funuyaki, he made his way over to them. He arrived at their position and stood looking over the other shoulder of Streen, just as the information on the transponder signal came in.  
  
The sensor officer read the information out loud. "Its number is X71789. Name: Yukinojo. Currently assigned to Detective First Class-"  
  
"Mihoshi," the three Galaxy Police officers said in unison.  
  
Panic commandeered the bridge again.  
  
"I know her! She captured Wiperblade Jones and his whole ring of spacejack thieves!"  
  
"I heard she brought in 'Bloody Hands' Ciccone on her very first assignment!"  
  
"She single-handedly busted the entire Starblast Bandit Gang. I should know. My brother was one of them!"  
  
"I heard she's the best officer they got! If she's on the case, that must mean the whole Galaxy Police force will be here any minute! We have to get out of here!"  
  
"BE SILENT!" Malgaunt roared again. Once everyone had quieted down, he took control again. "All of that was in the past. Right now she's burned out and useless." Technically, that was only half true. Her performance rating had dipped incredibly low in the last year, but she had recently brought in the infamous Dr. Clay. However, rumor had it she had been assisted by Juraian royalty and possibly other sources as well. Still, it wouldn't do to unnerve the crew unnecessarily. "She was assigned to some backwater system to keep her out of the way. She's no threat." He gave a dismissive gesture to add to the point and calm the crew down. Or at least he hoped it would calm them down. Panic would ruin everything, and the plan was already starting to shown signs of strain. It would just be a matter of time before he knew how much strain it suffered from.  
  
"What about her backup?" Ariana asked, not believing Malgaunt's reassurances for a second.   
  
That was something to consider. Malgaunt looked back over Yent's shoulder again. "Are there any more contacts?"  
  
"No sir. But she is still getting closer." The crewman shifted nervously. Mihoshi's reputation overrode anything Malgaunt could say to make him feel any better. The sooner they got out of the system, the better.  
  
"There is no backup," Funuyaki surprised everyone, herself included, by taking control of the conversation.   
  
"What makes you say that?" Sa'bre asked. He decided he had allowed things to play out long enough and that it was long past time to interject himself into the conversation.  
  
"Because she's operating blind," Funuyaki said. She slipped into her detective mode and began to analyze the evidence she had been presented with, hoping to fit it into a recognizable pattern so that she could anticipate what Mihoshi was going to do. "If she had known who we are, and what we were doing out here, she would have called for back-up and would be waiting for them rather than approaching us alone. But she didn't. She charged right in, and now that she's this close to the stars' gravitational fields, there's no way another ship would risk coming out of hyperspace so close to her. No, she's alone all right. I'm sure of it."  
  
"Well done, Lieutenant," Malgaunt said with a trace of pride. He had come to a similar conclusion as well, though he wasn't quite as certain as Funuyaki appeared. She was proving herself more valuable by the minute, just as he had known she would. How could Sa'bre ever have doubted his choice of subordinates for this expedition?  
  
"Impossible," Sa'bre scoffed. "You can't seriously be suggesting that she's coming closer so that she can take both of us on at the same time? The dreadnought alone has thirty times the firepower of her ship. It's suicide."   
  
Stargrave studied each of the officer's faces closely, receiving the answer even before Funuyaki said, "If there is any one person in the entire Galaxy Police force that would ignore the odds and try to bring us in, it's Mihoshi."  
  
"Wait a minute." Malgaunt held up a hand as an errant thought occurred to him. "I thought she had just been ordered on vacation."  
  
"Yeah," Onita answered, feeling a little better about himself since he finally had something to add to their current situation. "Right before I went out to Centurex 4, to rendezvous with you and Lieutenant Funuyaki, we had a party celebrating her being off duty for six months." Onita began to shift nervously. "I was off duty when I was drinking, of course."  
  
The man received a cold stare from Funuyaki; one that could have frozen ice. "Believe me when I say that after what you did today, no one cares if you were drinking on duty or not."  
  
"She probably stumbled on to us," Malgaunt suggested. "While she was traveling, she might have caught our profile right before we made our last jump and followed us through hyperspace. You know how difficult hyperspace communication is. She wouldn't be able to call for back-up."  
  
"Impossible!" Fera snapped from the pilot's seat. "No one could have followed us through hyperspace! Not with the way I fly!"  
  
"Perhaps," Malgaunt conceded. There was a good chance there might be some difficult flying ahead. The last thing he needed was to further agitate an already wild Katason. "It doesn't really matter. The moment she enters the range of the dreadnought's main guns, Officer Mihoshi's vacation will be extended indefinitely. I just wish I knew why her ship wasn't disabled by the virus."  
  
  
"I told you not to take us off the predesignated routes. Now see what you've gotten us into," Yukinojo complained.  
  
"How was I to know we'd end up this far off course?" Mihoshi asked. "Besides, I was sure I plotted it correctly."  
  
"Well, you didn't. And now, thanks to you giving up our reserve long-range antenna, we don't have any way of contacting headquarters and getting our coordinates."   
  
"Relax, Yukinojo," Tenchi said soothingly, hoping it would calm Yukinojo down. It usually seemed to help whenever Ryouko or Aeka lost their tempers, though. Sometimes, anyway. Okay, not often, but he had to try. Maybe he would get lucky for once. "Mihoshi was only helping someone in trouble. She had no way of knowing her own antenna would break down while in hyperspace."  
  
"I suppose you're right," Yukinojo relented, giving off a mechanical sigh as he resigned himself to his fate.  
  
"Besides, we're in luck. We can ask those two spaceships out there for directions," she pointed to the ships on the viewscreen that were getting larger by the moment. "Once we figure out where we are, it'll be easy to get back on track. And this time I promise I won't take us off our course."  
  
"Ah yes, about those ships," Yukinojo began hesitantly. "The only one I can get a clear reading off of is that larger one. That smaller one is too near to it and with the interference I'm getting from our close proximity to the sun, I can't get an accurate reading until we get closer. Also, that large one's design doesn't match any of the ship profiles stored in my memory, though it's giving off a great deal of power. And neither of them is transmitting their transponder signals."  
  
Mihoshi considered that. Like every other AI on the fleet, Yukinojo had profiles on just about every ship in the galaxy. He was advanced enough that even if it was a heavily modified ship, he still should have been able to extrapolate what design it was. And then there was the problem with the transponder signals. Technically, all ships were supposed to transmit one that would make them easy to identify whenever they came into contact with any other ships. Usually the only people that didn't use them were individual planetary military forces and Imperial ships during times of war. Currently, Jurai was at a state of peace, and there would have been no reason for even one of their ships to have shut down its transponder signal. Sometimes smugglers would turn theirs off to keep their ships from being identified, but usually they would rig up a fake code instead. "I don't think they're smugglers. That really big ship that looks sort of like a giant molehill is way too big to belong to any known criminal organization. And its configuration isn't like any of the known planetary governments either. This is really weird."  
  
"What are you going to do?" Tenchi asked.  
  
Mihoshi shrugged. "We'll keep getting closer and try to hail them so we can get directions. We'll see what happens then."   
  
A sweatdrop formed on Tenchi's forehead. "Ah, isn't that a bit risky if they turn out to be bad guys?"  
  
"I don't really think so," Mihoshi said, finding Tenchi's naiveté about how things tended to work in space really amusing (though not in a condescending way). She reminded herself that it wasn't his fault he lived on a world that lacked serious space travel capabilities. She would have to explain it to him, but in a nice way so he didn't feel foolish. "That really large ship out there is of a new design and with a high power rating that would rival a Juraian battleship. I can think of it being only one of two things. It could be that it belongs to a whole new alien race we've never met before and this is an example of their technology, or it might have been built by a well to do planet or system. Now it's illegal for anyone to manufacture a ship that powerful without the express consent of the Throne, and if there was such an agreement, I would have heard about it through my position with the Galaxy Police. That means they would have to have built it in secret, probably so they could create a fleet that could challenge Jurai and overthrow the Empire while setting themselves up as the new leaders. Now who would want to do something as terrible as that? No. I'm pretty sure it belongs to a new race we've never met before."  
  
"Ah, okay," Tenchi said hesitantly, trusting Mihoshi's judgment in space matters, even if it was suspect at times. It was still more than he knew. Although when she gave the latter reason, it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, almost like a premonition or something.  
  
"Maybe we should prepare for the latter, just in case." Yukinojo was somewhat concerned. On one computerized AI chip, Mihoshi's reasoning actually made a great deal of sense, even if she did seem to come to the conclusion with only a minimal amount of information. His own primary neural net hadn't come up with those possibilities before Mihoshi did, which was vexing itself; she had used her brain to formulate a hypothesis faster than his own mechanical one could. On the other chip, her logic as to choosing one of those high percentile possibilities did seem somewhat suspect.  
  
"Oh, you worry too much." Mihoshi went to the communications system and began playing the universal greeting program the ship had been outfitted with.  
  
Yukinojo noted there was only one slight problem with that. "I've been trying to hail them since we arrived in system, but they aren't responding."  
  
"Maybe the suns are somehow interfering with communications," Mihoshi suggested. "We'll get closer and keep playing the message over and over again. Everything's going to be fine, and then we'll get back on track for our vacation in no time. I'm sure of it."  
  
  
The communications man fingered his headset as the message came in. "Sir." He turned to look at Stargrave, who still wore a mask of concern. "Mihoshi is hailing us."  
  
Stargrave mistook the pause the man took to catch his breath as a sign that he was through informing his captain. "I don't need to hear any orders to turn ourselves in. Let her meet static."  
  
Given how often the captain enjoyed being told he was wrong, and that he was in a foul mood already, the officer decided not to correct the misassumption. Besides, how were they supposed to respond to a universal greeting anyway?  
  
  
"The GP ship is hailing us," the communications man aboard the Yagdagron dreadnought fingered his headset as the message came in.  
  
Captain Yolleth considered that. She had been planning to simply blow the ship into scrap and allow the remains to be vaporized by the sun. Perhaps it would be better to hear her enemy's final words. "What does he have to say?"  
  
"Umm," the communications officer was at something of a loss. Realizing there was no way he could explain it without sounding foolish, he decided to just come out and say it. "He's just transmitting the standard universal greeting, sir."  
  
Yolleth's brow twitched slightly before she shot out of the captain's chair and onto her feet, pointing an accusing finger at the ship on her viewscreen. "How dare he mock us this way! Vaporize that ship! I want that man dead, no matter the cost! Fire the main guns now!"  
  
  
"Mihoshi!" Yukinojo cried out in alarm. He had altered the course of the ship slightly so that the long range visual sensors could get an accurate reading on the smaller ship that was hiding behind by the larger one. The moment he got a precise reading of the unique vessel, he ran it through his recognition programs until he came up with a match. "That smaller ship is the Rack N' Ruin!"  
  
Mihoshi gave a startled gasp. "Sa'bre Stargrave is the fourth most wanted criminal in the galaxy! We have to warn the aliens he's dangerous."   
  
She gave a quick jerk of the controls, a move that Yukinojo was about to complain about as being far too rough for his delicate systems, when a huge bolt of crimson energy emitted from one of the pointed projections on the front of the dreadnought. The wide beam of energy lanced through space right where the ship had been less than a second ago. Any slower and the spacecraft would have been destroyed by the direct hit, shields or not. Although in spite of Mihoshi's quick movement, the ship was struck a glancing blow in the port engine by the outer edge of the beam. The passengers felt the shot as the ship rocked and red lights flashed across the control board.  
  
"I think that second idea of yours might have been the right one," Tenchi said as he tried coming up with something to help Mihoshi, yet failed.   
  
"I think you're right," Mihoshi reluctantly conceded as she charged up the shields to full and began a pattern of evasive maneuvering to keep the dreadnought's guns from correcting their earlier mistake.  
  
  
"She evaded the blast!" Stargrave pounded his fist on the armrest of his command chair. Somehow she had known to move a moment before the blast was released. Given the shielding, suns, and distances involved, she couldn't have known the dreadnought was going to shoot. It was impossible, regardless of how it appeared.  
  
"That isn't quite true, sir," Streen said as he looked over his readout. "Her starboard engine was hit and she's leaking radiation. She's turned away from us and is trying to escape, but the dreadnought is pursuing and continuing to fire."  
  
"Is she faster than us or the dreadnought?" Stargrave asked.   
  
"No," Malgaunt answered before the officer could. "She's only at point six five lightspeed, and she's had plenty of time to reach maximum velocity. That shot to her engines must have slowed her down. She can't escape."  
  
"Not that that's keeping her from trying," Funuyaki pointed out as she watched Mihoshi's ship continue to evade the storm of crimson energy blasts that came from the Yagdagron vessel. Somehow she was able to prevent taking any more hits, despite the closing distance between her and the far more powerful vessel.  
  
At the pilot's controls, a pair of vertical pupils surrounded by green irises grew larger as they watched the elegant dance of death the blood red ship of the Galaxy Police was performing. "Let's take her." Fera increased speed and banked left, maneuvering the Rack N' Ruin clear of the dreadnought's shadow and began pass with its swifter speed.  
  
There was a twitch from the lump in coveralls. "Did I ever tell you about the time I was part of a smuggling ring and we got caught right between a Victory Class Star Destroyer and a Mon Cal Heavy War Cruiser? Boy, you should have seen the exchange of turbolasers those two were throwing back and forth, and the way they kept melting the armor plating we had-"  
  
"No need to continue. I get the point." Stargrave directed his attention to his pilot. "We're letting the Yagdagron handle this. Remain behind the dreadnought. I want it between us and Mihoshi, just in case something happens."  
  
Fur bristled as Fera gained a wild look on her eyes that made her seem more bestial and less intelligent. Without taking her eyes from the foreword viewscreen, she half said, half snarled, "If she can fly while under that kind of fire and keep from being hit, so can I. We can get rid of her ourselves." There was a whine as the flow of power to the Rack N' Ruin's engine increased and the ship picked up speed.  
  
The Katasan did not have to turn around as she heard the familiar sound of metal on leather come from behind her; there was no one on the crew who would not recognize the sound of First Officer Ariana's sidearm being drawn upon them.  
  
"Just because you're my best pilot doesn't mean you're my only pilot. Follow in the wake of the dreadnought." The panic Stargrave had shown upon first discovering the 'Mihoshi Surprise' was now gone. He was the model of control as he sat idly back in his chair, hand laying under his chin, while his first mate -and primary enforcer- kept her modified handgun pointed at Fera's back.   
  
Knowing that Stargrave ultimately considered everyone but himself expendable, and that he had a tendency to have people that placed his life in jeopardy shot, Fera eased back on the controls and fell back into position behind the dreadnought. She cursed her luck. How could the others have so little faith in her and her abilities? Anything a Galaxy Police detective could do, she could do better. And weaving through the storm of concentrated laser fire would be such a rush that she had to restrain herself from trying to follow Mihoshi's course in spite of the fact Stargrave would see to it she was dead long before she reached her. The detective was showing skills worthy of a Katasan herself.   
  
That fact triggered a longing in Fera. It had been a long time since her skills had been truly tested, outside of bringing the Rack N' Ruin out of the Anomaly and into the docking bay of Tartarus at high speed. If only the gods of light were willing, and the prey somehow escaped the dreadnought's guns, then perhaps Fera could have the duel she so desperately wanted. She kept her eyes riveted to the forward viewscreen as both her ship and the dreadnought drew closer to Mihoshi's vessel.  
  
  
Aboard the Yukinojo, chaos reigned even as it had on the Rack N' Ruin earlier, although Mihoshi could cry harder than anyone on the other ship.  
  
"All I wanted to do was ask for directions!" she wailed as she banked hard to port, just missing another energy beam the size of the ship. There was no real pattern to her dodging, which was one of the reasons why the Yagdagron gunners, some of the best in their fleet, were failing to hit her. There were no tendencies, no habits in her weaving that would allow them to anticipate where she dodged next. So they spent their time using all of their skills, and rubbing their good luck charms, firing as the dreadnought slowly gained on the smaller ship.  
  
Tenchi held onto the chair that he had been formerly sitting in for dear life. He had neglected to fasten his seat belt before the firing started, and was now content to hang on while the ship was tossed back and forth. The internal inertial compensators weren't coming close to keeping up with all of the dodging and weaving that Mihoshi was doing. Given the number of blasts that went past the viewscreen, Tenchi was just grateful they were somehow still alive. "Can't we fire back?"   
  
"My primary guns are in a fixed position in the front of the craft," Mihoshi continued wailing. "And my rear guns aren't anywhere near powerful enough to even slow that big ship down. Besides, that would mean diverting power from the engines to the laser systems, and we'd slow down even more." An idea came to her in mid-spin. "Maybe we can skirt along the corona of one of the suns. The heat and gravity will throw off their gunners' aims a little bit, and they'll have to divert power from engines to shields to keep from having their armor melted off."  
  
"We'll also have to divert power from our engines to our shields as well," Yukinojo pointed out, still trying to figure out on his own how to elude their pursuers. The starboard engine was too badly damaged by the glancing hit to be repaired without someone going outside and manually fixing it. That meant they weren't going to win the contest based on speed. The sun maneuver would buy them a few extra minutes, but someone was going to have to come up with another idea to save the day.  
  
"It's all I can think of right now," Mihoshi blubbered as she headed for the sun. "Oh, this is turning out to be the worst vacation I've ever had!"  
  
  
"She's moving into the sun's corona," the pilot of the dreadnought told his captain.  
  
Yolleth responded with a snort. "He can't escape us that way. Divert power to shields and continue pursuit."  
  
  
"That maneuver is only going to buy her some time," Malgaunt informed Stargrave, not that the captain needed the information. He had flown many variously-sized vessels throughout his smuggling career. From cramped one-man snub fighters to oversized cargo vessels hauling cars of hundred thousand ton ore, he could fly them all almost as well as Fera and knew virtually every flying tactic there was.  
  
"The dreadnought's closing the distance more slowly now, sir," Yent said again. "They should be able to bring their smaller guns to bear on Mihoshi within the next five minutes." Instead of seven weapon clusters firing on the same target, it would be up to twenty-five. Once that happened, Mihoshi would be finished. No one could keep that level of firepower from vaporizing their ship no matter how brilliant a pilot they were.  
  
"We can still increase speed and catch up to her." Fera had to squint her eyes slightly at the increasing brightness of the approaching sun, until the computer compensated by dimming the viewscreen.  
  
"Remain on our course." Stargrave was becoming weary of Fera's borderline insubordination. Words would be exchanged when they returned to their newest, temporary base of operations. Discipline had to be maintained, after all.  
  
"Sir!" Yent shouted again, "she's launched missiles at the dreadnought."  
  
Stargrave laughed at that. "Nice try, but Yolleth is too experienced to fall for that one."  
  
"What do you mean?"   
  
Stargrave was surprised to see it was the usually quiet Onita who had asked the question. Sa'bre deigned to answer the man, just in case some of his crew were also confused. "It's a delaying tactic. Officer Mihoshi hopes to force the Yagdagron to slow down by diverting power from their engines to their anti-missile system. But now we're too close to the sun's corona for the missiles to reach their target. The heat will cause them to detonate before they get halfway there. It's an act of desperation."  
  
In his seat next to the secondary weapons system, Autolycus said, "They'd make it if they were ray shielded."  
  
"Don't be absurd." Stargrave gave a deep, boisterous laugh. "No one has even manufactured ray shielded missiles in over a hundred years They're slow, present large target profiles, their homing sensors are a joke-"  
  
"Sir, the missiles are over three quarters of the way to the dreadnought!"  
  
"-and they could withstand traveling through a sun's corona without detonating." Autolycus finished.  
  
  
Aboard the Yagdagron ship, the captain realized the same thing at the same time and activated her ship's anti-missile system. The ray shielding on the VX-100 Hammerhead missiles, which had been so instrumental in allowing them to reach the dreadnought, began showing their well-known limitations. Despite the late start the weapon system had in being activated, it began tracking the older missiles easily and commenced shooting them down. Of the initial volley of thirty Mihoshi had fired, twenty were destroyed outright. Due to the fact the shields were becoming increasingly hard pressed by the heat of the corona, they were weakened enough that instead of the standard twenty-five VX-100 missiles it would have taken to even temporarily breach the shields, only five were needed to bring them down. That was long enough for the remaining missiles to get through and strike the dreadnought itself.   
  
Of the five that made it through: one hit towards the rear of the vessel, the considerable overlapping armor plating of the hull taking the brunt of the explosion so that only a third set of backup emergency engine shutdown systems and the primary control to the cheese-whiz dispensers were destroyed. The second missile tore through the outer hull towards the middle of the ship, but did little else other than destroy all of the armor plating and slightly damage the interior wall of one of the less-traveled maintenance corridors. The third one hit the opposite side of ship, not even managing to breach the exterior armor. The fourth one directly struck one of the primary long range weapon batteries, but not before it got off one last shot.   
  
As to the fifth, and last one, by some remarkable stroke of luck (both good and bad, depending on which side one was on) it hit in exactly the same spot that missile number two had, meaning that none of the thick armor plating that would have muted the detonation was there. The explosion went right through and ripped through the vessel, billowing outward as it destroyed corridors, meal dispensers, crewmen's quarters, crewmen, electrical wiring, numerous back-up systems, and a host of other important equipment. With each object the blast ran into, the remaining wave of force was lessened until it reached the primary armory. The walls of it were thick, but there was just enough energy left from the missile's explosion that it breached one of the outer walls, making it just inside one of the armory's various storage rooms.   
  
According to the ship's designers, the room that was destroyed was supposed to hold nothing more than a standard compliment of heavy particle beam rifles, chain guns, and ion rifles for the space marines to be used in land based operations, as well as the extra laser pistols that were to be issued to all ship personnel in case they had to repel boarders. Nothing that would have made any real difference had they been destroyed. However, due to the fact that the mission was to take place far away from any Yagdagron space colonies or outposts, and that if the Jurai had gotten wind of what was being delivered to the Yagdagron they would have sent every ship they could after the dreadnought, Captain Yolleth had made a special requisition for twenty-five extra 'Ship Buster' missiles, the most powerful kind the Yagdagron made. That would be enough additional firepower to knock out a half dozen Juraian heavy cruisers and still have several to spare. It also just so happened that since all of the primary missile bays in the armory were already fully loaded, the extra missiles were being stored where there was space, meaning in the outer armory room that Mihoshi's missile had just enough power to penetrate.   
  
And it had just enough energy left after that to set off one of the 'Ship Buster' missiles that was closest to the wall that had just been breached.  
  
Of course, the 'Ship Buster' that was set off had more than enough power to detonate the remaining twenty-four missiles it was stored next to.  
  
And then...  
  
  
Underneath his white, expensive, genuine Yothblem gloves, his palms were sweaty. His palms never sweat. "How many got through?" Stargrave asked.  
  
"Only five made it through to the Yagdagron ship before the shields were restored," Malgaunt said, beating Streen once again. Streen made a mental note to try to make it clear to Malgaunt what he thought of people that interfered with his job. After everything was over and assuming Stargrave wouldn't mind, of course.  
  
"That won't be enough to even slow them down," Stargrave said as he relaxed and sat back in his chair again. Once the dreadnought regained its speed, it would run under the Galaxy Police ship. It was inevitable.   
  
"Mihoshi's been hit!"  
  
That caught Stargrave's attention. There was almost the sound of....something in Fera's voice. Concern? It was hard to say, and would bear looking into later. At the moment he had to be more concerned with what it was his wild pilot was talking about. He turned his attention to the viewscreen. Now that they had closed the distance to Mihoshi, her ship was more than the blur it had been when they first entered the system. The long range visual scanners now allowed the bright red vessel to be seen far more easily, though it was still small to Stargrave's eyes. Yes, it did appear that the ship was leaving a trail of smoke behind it now.  
  
"Confirmed," Streen beat Malgaunt this time. "She's taken another hit from the Yagdagron and is starting to slow down. I think she lost her starboard engine completely as well. She's pulling out of the sun's corona and is going to be out of its range in moments."  
  
That didn't matter to Stargrave. He could now see that she was spiraling out of control, and though there was a habitable -and bereft of intelligent life- planet nearby, Mihoshi would never make it. If her ship didn't break apart first, the dreadnought would blow her out of the stars.  
  
"Sir! Energy spike coming from the Yagdagron ship!" Streen shouted. Malgaunt turned to look at Stargrave. The captain of the Rack N' Ruin scowled, for he saw not concern, but the first vestiges of what might have been fear in the former marshal's eyes.  
  
"Show me the dreadnought," Sa'bre ordered. The viewscreen's picture shifted from that of Yukinojo to the Yagdagron's starship. The giant, green armored flying molehill appeared just as it had before the missile attack, save for trails of smoke emanating from one breach in the overlapping armor plating on the starboard side. The smoke was already dissipating in the absolute cold of space, and seemed to be stopping.   
  
Then, near where the first hole had been, the metal bulged, forming what appeared to be a boil underneath the surface of the vessel. The lump was a strange sight to behold, even on the molehill looking ship. It was there for a moment before it ruptured, spilling forth an odd mix of red and blue fire into space, only to have it die off with nothing to burn. Debris too had been shot out of the boil, and began to spill out into the void and drifted off, soon to be caught by the nearby sun's gravity and incinerated forever.   
  
That wasn't the only one. Even as the fire from the first boil died off three more lumps joined it, one right after another. Again they exploded and belched forth red-blue fires. Then there was one that came from the other side of the ship, even larger than the other four combined. All over the ship the boils formed, but instead of the fires dying off from each one, these later ones were sustained.   
  
"Its shields are down and it's started to drift towards the sun!" the sensor officer declared. Stargrave stared in shock at the impossible display. It had only been hit with a handful of missiles. They couldn't have done that sort of damage. It wasn't possible. It just wasn't possible.  
  
And then the view of the slowly exploding ship changed as it drifted off high and to port and the stars appeared in its stead. Shock seized up Stargrave's mind so that he didn't respond right away. The dreadnought was entirely gone from the viewscreen before he shouted at Fera, "What do you think you're doing?!"  
  
Fera was half turned around in her seat when the explanation was delivered for her from Streen yet again. "Massive energy spike from the dreadnought! Ten times what was there before!"  
  
Funuyaki quickly followed up the officer's declaration with, "The fusion reactor on that thing is going to-"   
  
The rest was cut off as a bright orange glow appeared at the right side of the viewscreen, and the ship found itself thrown as though a giant had picked it up and tossed it into the air. Many of the people not strapped in found themselves thrown off their feet and hurled to the hard gray metal of the deck.   
  
Stargrave held onto his chair for dear life even as he saw Ariana fall to her side and grab onto the back. The explosion had produced no sound, of course, but its effects were not muted at all as the ship buffeted under the shockwave produced by the dreadnought's death explosion. Stargrave heard one of his crew shout, "Our shields are down! Repeat, our shields are down!" somehow continuing to do his duties in spite of the clamor all around him. Sa'bre made a note in the back of his mind to give Joffry a bonus for keeping his head in such a chaotic situation.   
  
For the briefest of seconds, the ship stopped shaking and began to settle down, allowing Stargrave to buckle himself in. As he did so, he noticed that Malgaunt and Onita had fallen near a couple of empty chairs next to the sensor controls. They scrambled into them before the ship tossed them around once more. Just as they finished buckling in, the ship was thrown about even more viciously than it had been the first time. Instead of the sound of the Rack N' Ruin groaning as it had when it was hammered by the shockwave, this time there was the sound of something solid striking the outer hull of the vessel. Two more impacts, one right on top of the other so that they sounded as one, echoed throughout the ship and terrified those that realized it was debris from the much vaunted, and now destroyed, Yagdagron vessel.   
  
There was the tremendous sound of space-tree reinforced wood and multiple layers of metal being torn asunder from the rear of the vessel as the ship lurched forward again. Stargrave felt Ariana lose her hold from the colossal, multiple impacts the ship suffered. His hand lashed out and he got a firm grasp of her white shirt. At first, it took all of his own wiry strength to simply hold onto her, the force of the shaking was that powerful. Something shot past him on the left and even as he struggled to bring Ariana closer, he looked out of the corner of his eye to see what it was. Shoney Sylkes, his primary weapons officer, was the bundle that had been thrown out of his seat and sent sailing across the bridge. His impromptu flight was arrested for a moment as his head struck the metal corner of the pilot's station, right next to Fera. Stargrave could almost have sworn he heard the snap of Sylkes neck as his body went limp and continued forward to strike the lower portion of the viewscreen before bouncing off. An errant memory of Stargrave's childhood came forth as he realized Sylkes reminded him of the little rag doll that a girl he had grown up with used to carry. Sa'bre couldn't remember her name. All he could see clearly was that she was usually dirty and had a fondness for tossing the doll up in the air. Sylkes was like that. All limp and tossed around the bridge. He even had the same hair color as the doll: red.  
  
His burden shifted around in his grasp. At last Ariana regained enough of her balance that she could grab onto the seat's restraints as she helped Stargrave haul her into his grip where she would be safe. Or at least reasonably safe from being hurled about the bridge.   
  
A higher-pitched shriek caught Stargrave's attention. He turned to see that it was Lieutenant Funuyaki who had screamed. It had been a high pitched noise that he had not thought the woman capable of; she seemed tougher than that. She was now in the grasp of her fellow lieutenant, Onita. The large man was far more powerful than Stargrave and easily hauled Funuyaki into his protective grasp, holding her in a similar position to the one Sa'bre now had Ariana in.  
  
Off to Stargrave's right, he heard another scream from someone that he failed to recognize, but it no longer mattered. He turned his attention away from the chaos on the bridge and focused it on who was currently the most important person in his life: his pilot. Fera now held his life, as well as everyone else's, in her hands. Even from behind, Stargrave was able to see her fur standing on end and the muscles under that tawny blue-gray stretching taunt as she struggled to control the Rack N' Ruin on its runaway course.   
  
"We've lost part of the rear portion of the ship!" Fera growled as another piece of debris stuck the Rack N' Ruin, although the noise it produced was nowhere near as loud as any of the other impacts the ship had suffered.   
  
Another growl rose from the bottom of her throat as Fera fought bravely with the steering controls, intent on pulling the nose of the ship up -up being relative to the nearby sun that they were heading into. It could have been worse. If she had not sensed that the dreadnought was going to explode and pulled away before receiving instructions to do so, they would never have gotten enough distance in time to survive. But it might have been too little, too late anyway. The pieces of debris had finished what the shockwave had started. The hull was breached in multiple places, she only had one of the six engines on line, and something BAD had happened to the systems that controlled the steering. She had, at most, ten percent control over the ship's direction. The ship she had piloted for the last six months, the ship upon which she had learned ever nuance, creak, and idiosyncrasy of how it handled and exactly what it was capable of, was being shredded into tiny pieces and flung across the stars.  
  
It was all really quite exciting.  
  
Luckily for the others, and herself, Fera had memorized the approximate distances and directions of all of the known celestial bodies in the system. During their wait for the Yagdagron, she had looked over and familiarized herself with the local star charts and knew that the closest world to the twin suns was habitable, nearby, and there was an outside chance the ship would hold together long enough to make it all the way there. All Fera needed to do was get the ship pointed in the right direction, keep it that way, hope that enough of the exterior hull was intact for them to survive orbital reentry, and find a nice soft place to land lest everyone die in a crash.  
  
A combination of the shields being out and the close proximity of one of the stars raised the temperature on the ship steadily and, if it continued at the rate it was going, dangerously, Fera noted. But that was assuming they didn't plunge into the star altogether first. As she struggled with the sluggish controls, Fera made a couple of silent prayers to Jajagua, greatest of the Katasan gods and the patron deity of worthy deaths. Her first prayer was to survive the landing and fly the spaceways with only her wits and skills once more. Her second was that if she was to die, to let it be a spectacular death worthy of granting her elevation to the highest station. Heading into the afterlife via an orbital crash landing with little in the way of control would surely be a worthy way to earn her passage into paradise.  
  
Miraculously, one of the steering systems came back online, and she regained enough control to get the shuddering ship out of the sun's gravitational field. It was a hard struggle that caused Fera's arm muscles to ache in a matter of moments and sweat to pour from her, matting her fur down and making her swear at Stargrave and the other races that made her wear clothing at unnecessary times. They would pay for it later when she began to produce the foul odor that came with excessive Katasan sweat. Assuming they survived whatever landing she could come up with.  
  
As the ship pulled away from the sun, Fera saw enough of the stars for her to regain their celestial bearing. Quickly, her mind plotted a course to the nearby planet and hoped that they could get to it before falling apart, and perhaps walk away from alive. She hoped the starcharts were accurate about the planet being habitable as Fera found she was going to have to test the accuracy of that claim and headed for the planet that had been simply numbered GH3449.  
  
  
"We're losing engine control too! If the steering goes out, we're finished!" Mihoshi's hands danced over the command console of her ship as she tried desperately to regain some measure of control over her badly damaged vessel.   
  
They had almost made it, too. The missile salvo Mihoshi had launched gained results that would have left the worst oddsmaker shaking in his boots, but it had not come without a price. The long-range weapon's battery that had been destroyed by Mihoshi's fourth missile had managed to fire one last time before the explosion destroyed it. The lance of energy, one out of hundreds fired at Mihoshi, succeeded where all of the others had failed. It was not a direct hit -that would have destroyed the vessel completely- rather it hit the starboard engine and carried on through to shred a few feet of the left side of the Galaxy Police spacecraft. Neither the already taxed shields nor the layer of armor that composed the outer hull were enough to resist the beam as it sliced cleanly through both, gutting the ship and sending a steady stream of gray vapor to trail into the vacuum of space as it spun out of control.   
  
Unlike the Rack N' Ruin, Mihoshi had never lost total control of the ship, but rather had the systems go out one by one as fires spread and the automatic extinguishers failed to deal with the blaze. A screen on a wall to Mihoshi's left showed a schematic of the ship and up to the moment reports on what systems were failing. Red identified which systems were off-line and where. Red had gone from about ten percent of the tail section at the start of the fight, to about fifty-five percent and continued to rise.  
  
"There's an A-class planet with a breathable atmosphere nearby!" Yukinojo shouted, yet stayed calm. Emergency precautions built into the computer ensured that some of the higher emotional functions of Yukinojo were shut down as the ship took increasing amounts of damage. Even advanced AI's sometimes fused their neural nets when faced with probable destruction, and the Galaxy Police had programmed their ships' computers accordingly.  
  
"I'm not sure if we can make it, but I'm going to try!" Mihoshi tried recalling what to do in an emergency such as this, but even when she was at the academy the simulators never ran a scenario that took this amount of damage into account. She just improvised as she simultaneously tried to maintain control, keep the remaining systems on line, head towards the planet Yukinojo had indicated, and cry. At least the last was not difficult for her to do.  
  
Tenchi felt frustrated as he watched Mihoshi trying to keep the ship intact and save both their lives. He wanted to help, but there was nothing he could do. He had no idea of how the ship actually ran, how to repair systems, or even how to console Mihoshi. Their lives were in danger, and, for the first time in recent memory, he found himself completely helpless. There was a chance that if the ship broke up, he might be able to summon the light hawk wings and save both himself and Mihoshi, just like he had during the Dr. Clay incident. But the things were unreliable, and if they failed, as the light hawk wings might very well do, then he and Mihoshi were dead. Ultimately, their lives were in her hands.   
  
  
The two terminally damaged ships approached the planet from different trajectories, not that either crew had the time to keep an eye on what had happened to their potential enemies. Parts of the Rack N' Ruin continued to fall off as the ship finally entered the atmosphere, leaving a trail of black wood and metal in its wake. Yukinojo held together better, but continued to have its systems fail as control of the ship became increasingly difficult.  
  
On board the Rack N' Ruin, Stargrave maintained his hold on Ariana as he looked at the diagnostic read out on his control pad. Luckily, that program was still running and could still run a diagnostic on what parts of the ship remained. He saw that hull integrity in everything behind the forward command bridge was compromised. Unless someone had possessed the foresight to carry a space suit with them, they were dead. Only the survivors on the bridge remained of his crew, and he felt a momentary pang of remorse at losing thirty-seven...no, thirty-eight counting the now dead Sylkes, of his most useful men. It was momentary only because Sa'bre's own life was still in danger and he could lose the rest of his crew as well.  
  
"Temperature rising!" someone shouted as the red glow of orbital reentry encapsulated the viewscreen ahead. Even with all of the special alloys and materials that lined the forward command bridge, without shields it was conceivable Stargrave would burn up before ever reaching the planet. Still, one did not stay in the smuggling business as long as he had and not try to anticipate everything that could go wrong.   
  
When Sa'bre had first gotten his hands on the Rack N' Ruin, he modified it as heavily as he could. The forward bridge was lined with adamantine alloys, not as powerful as true adamantine but still able to withstand a direct hit from a heavy anti-ship cannon and remain intact. As an additional precaution, he also built in a reserve micro-fusion system, in case something had happened to the primary power system, or the rest of the ship fell to pieces. Running on minimum power, it could give life support for up to a week. At maximum output, it could activate the shields for close to five minutes, or so the technicians that designed the system had told him.   
  
Stargrave released his left hand from Ariana's shirt and opened the special keypad built into the left armpad of his seat. He pushed several buttons, routing power into the shields and hoping the five million credits he had invested in the system hadn't been wasted.   
  
The red glow surrounding the viewscreen disappeared as the shields came on line. Fera found it easier to control the ship; the shields helped to minimize the buffeting of the orbital reentry. Praying once again that the primary viewscreen remained functional, she hit the button that activated the landing rockets. The ship slowed down marginally as the only still functioning rocket ignited.  
  
Fera picked out what she hoped was a relatively flat plain and used every ounce of skill she had to bring the Rack N' Ruin down as she shouted, "BRACE FOR IMPACT!" and took the ship on its final descent.  
  
  
"Sh...sh...shields are d...d...down to ten perc...cent!"   
  
"R...r...right!" Tenchi shouted as tried to hold his voice steady. The ship was bucking so violently that both his and Mihoshi's teeth were almost vibrating out of their mouths. The forward viewscreen showed what appeared to be a semi-flat plain that Tenchi hoped would provide a landing that both he and Mihoshi could walk away from. The landing gear was broken, and only half of the reentry rockets still functioned. Unfortunately, they were all on the same side, which made controlling the landing nearly impossible. The planetary map was up just long enough for Mihoshi to pick what she thought would be only a high risk landing area instead of an impossible one. Using every ounce of flying skill she possessed, she managed to bring the increasingly difficult ship into the proper landing trajectory and cried out how she had never landed under conditions this bad before, but at least she was used to the actual crashing and was pretty confident they had an over fifty percent chance of survival.  
  
Just as they were a mile above the planet, the steering controls gave completely and the ship went out of control, continuing its downward descent. Just as the ship was about to hit, Tenchi's life flashed before his eyes. In all of the things he had said, in all of the things he had done in his all too brief life, he was left with one burning thought that stood out from the others.  
  
"Gee. I guess I really was being wishy-washy in not trying to choose one of the girls."  
  
And then the world went dark.  
  
  
  
  



	5. chapter 5

"Get a little closer, Ryo-Ohki. You've almost got it."  
  
Ryouko's orders seemed to echo throughout the bridge as Aeka watched the main viewscreen and observed the events unfolding outside. The cables from Ryo-Ohki's docking bay had latched on to the strut that connected the port-side engine to the slender main body of the dull green Galaxy Police cruiser. Once the cabbit had a firm grip on the drifting starship, it could maneuver the other vehicle around and position it so that it could connect with the smaller starship's airlock and transfer the two detectives over. The moment everyone was on board, Ryo-Ohki would head to the nearby planet and drop the police off so that they could begin procedures to recover their starship.  
  
It was the third dead Galaxy Police vessel they had come across in the last ten hours. The first one they had stumbled upon was drifting above the recreation planet Fantasia IX, a planet she and Ryouko had visited to look for Tenchi. Of course, they were obligated to assist the helpless spaceship, although Ryouko had to put up at least a token protest about going out of her way to help the Galaxy Police. To Ryouko's credit, it had taken little in the way of cajoling to get her to agree to the rescue.  
  
That one had gone easily enough. When Aeka inquired as to what happened, Detective Second Class Psicolpe had told her that he wasn't sure. He had received a Priority Alpha One emergency transmission from headquarters. Within moments after receiving it, the power began to fluctuate on the ship. By the time he realized what was happening, the whole thing had shut down and he was left to drift alone in space, completely powerless. He had been working on trying to recover power when Ryo-Ohki stumbled on him in space.   
  
After they safely delivered him to the planet's surface, they took off once more, only to be confronted with the exact same situation upon entering the next system in their search. Upon discovering yet a second Galaxy Police starship in a similar predicament, Aeka and Ryouko became truly frightened. After all, their beloved Tenchi (and Mihoshi, for that matter) was on a Galaxy Police starship, and if what had happened to these two had happened to her ship as well...  
  
They had hurried and deposited the second officer on the closest civilized planet they could find. By the time they made planetfall, transmissions began coming in that contact had been lost with Galaxy Police headquarters, nor could anyone seem to contact any of their spaceships. Even ground-based facilities' systems had lost power. It seemed as though the entire Galaxy Police force had been rendered powerless, literally.  
  
While Aeka and Ryouko waited for more reports to come in, seeing if there were any about Tenchi, they were informed that there had been another Galaxy Police ship in orbit around one of the planet's moons, and no one had been able to contact it since. Since there was a lack of vehicles that could perform the necessary rescue, they asked if 'the Royal Princess would be so kind as to help save that poor stranded policeman before he ran out of air or his ship crashed into the moon?'   
  
It was a harder task than it sounded. Every moment they spent (Aeka refused to call the moments wasted) rescuing others was another moment Tenchi might have been in terrible danger. Surely the same fate that had befallen the other police ships had also happened to Mihoshi's. At that very second Tenchi could have been plummeting into a star, or dying from lack of oxygen, or something even worse. But at the same time neither of them could just leave a man to die in space. Besides their own consciences, Tenchi would never have forgiven them if he learned that they had allowed someone to die just so he could be rescued.  
  
Much to Aeka's surprise, it was Ryouko who tried to reassure her that Tenchi was probably all right and that they shouldn't worry needlessly. It was a touching gesture on her part, but even Aeka could see that it was also something Ryouko had said to reassure herself as well. It even helped, a little.   
  
Every moment seemed an eternity as the police ship was slowly rotated into its proper position. It was taking too long. Somewhere, out there, Tenchi was waiting for them. His life was depending on it. She was certain.  
  
"Be safe, Lord Tenchi," she whispered into the vastness of space.  
  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
  
Vacation Days   
Chapter 5  
  
A Tenchi Muyo! Fic  
This uses the OVA continuity.   
  
Any and all C+C craved for. You can contact me at:  
sommer@3rdm.net  
  
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Tenchi Muyo! materials   
  
All of my stuff is now stored at:  
http://angcobra.jumpfun.com/dbsommer.html  
  
Yeesh. This thing is getting bigger than even I thought it would.  
  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
  
The world had been turned upside down.  
  
No. That couldn't be right. A spaceship could be turned upside down, but not an entire world. It had to be something else. Something that actually made sense. What could it be? Maybe if he tried concentrating.   
  
There were mental exercises he had been taught to focus his mind, concentrating on an imaginary point of light in a field of darkness and drawing it closer to himself at a steady, yet constant, pace. Using that method had enabled him to harness and control his innate power. He no longer needed to use the mental exercise for that, but the method was still within him. The field of darkness was easy, the light almost as much. By the time he had drawn it close to him, he was ready to open his eyes and embrace the world once more.   
  
Where confusion had once held sway, now there was peace. Everything made sense now, assuming there was sense in the universe to begin with. The world only appeared upside down because Sa'bre Stargrave himself was upside down. And that was because his ship was upside down as well. He could tell from the shattered remains of the bridge around him that appeared just as upright as he. It was an illusion. Gravity told a different tale.  
  
The portion of the world that had seemed to be upside down was that which could be seen outside the hole that now dominated the port side of what had once been the bridge. Stargrave's face had been pointed in that direction when consciousness had returned. Sunlight streamed in from the hole. That was for the best since there wasn't even enough reserve power for the emergency lights. And under the circumstances, being upside down with a big hole in your forward bridge was preferable to hanging upside down in pitch darkness.   
  
Fresh air, with the scent of jasmine and a hint of willow, blew in a gust from the hole. That solved the question as to whether the planet they had landed on had a habitable atmosphere, as the starcharts had suggested. It seemed to be supporting life as well, if the grass that could be seen from the hole was any indication. Two things were going for it. Now it was time for the third: to see if it had allowed them to have a landing they could walk away from.  
  
His comprehension of the situation had taken less then three seconds. As he turned his attention from the outside, he realized that he had been too focused on discovering the reason of why the world had seemed upside down. With all of his concentration on that one fact, he hadn't realized that there was a woman locked in a deathgrip with his safety restraint, and that his arms were around her as well. Ariana, he remembered. He had grabbed onto her during the turbulence, and she in turn had held onto him. Even the crash had not been enough to break their embrace.  
  
"Are you all right?" Ariana asked while still upside down, keeping her hold on the restraint. Due to both her own physiology and extensive physical training, she could have remained in that position for another twenty minutes before fatigue set in.  
  
"Time to get down," Stargrave told her as an answer to her question. She nodded in agreement. As he loosened his hold in her, she tucked her legs up and curled into a ball. Then she extended them, spinning so that she was now turned right side up and fell the ten feet to the bottom of what was once a ceiling not more than five minutes ago. The maneuver was simple for her as she landed gracefully on her feet, tensed and ready for action the moment she touched the ground.  
  
A few meters behind the captain's chair a similar scene occurred as Onita released his hold on Funuyaki. She too touched down easily enough, though she lacked the smooth grace that Ariana had possessed in her own landing.   
  
Ariana held her hands high as Stargrave loosened his restraint. Unlike her, he halfway fell until Ariana caught him. Only a little bit of air escaped from her lungs despite the eighty pound weight advantage he had on her. She set him down as gently as a cat would a newborn kitten and looked him over with an equal amount of concern.  
  
"I'm all right," Stargrave assured her as he took a moment to accurately assess the damage done to his crew and ship.   
  
"Considerable," was the first word that came to his mind. "Complete," was the next. He absently catalogued the damage: no power at all, a ten-foot diameter hole in the bridge and all of the bridge equipment was ruined, the acrid smell of burned circuitry, and the rear portions of his ship were missing, assuming the diagnostic he had run before the crash was accurate. And that was only concerning the mechanical resources that remained.   
  
His living ones did not fare much better. Fera jumped down even more gracefully from her pilot's seat towards the front. Her copilot, Cheng, had been less fortunate since he had been on the part of the bridge that was now a hole. Looking up and to his left, Sa'bre saw Onita helping Malguant down from his seat, but Streen was dead. His seat had held firm in the crash, too bad the sensor panel hadn't. It had been driven up (down now, actually) and into Streen. His head was still sticking in the broken screen that had tracked Mihoshi's ship the instant it had entered the system. Now neither man nor machine worked at all.  
  
There were others too. Slykes was dead, as Stargrave had expected when the ship had gone out of control in space. Rakham, the gunnery officer, was lying on the floor too, his back twisted at an impossible angle. Moans of pain were coming from Joffry's position on the newly christened floor. A closer look showed a blackened bone sticking out of one of his pant legs. The other was twisted just as badly as Rakham's back had been. The color of the bone was normal: Joffry was Ankatackian after all. Their outward appearance was like that of many bipedal races, but they were actually a great deal more durable than most with their dense skin and internal tissues. Anyone else, and their legs would probably have been torn off. True, he would be next to useless in the future until his legs were repaired, but with nearly everyone else dead, even the breathing would serve a useful function.  
  
Angstrom, the science officer/number's man/assistant cook was alive and appeared unharmed, save for a dark bruise at his temple. Yoost, his chief computer programmer and hacker, was alive and without a mark on him. And naturally, Malgaunt's two assistants just had to be alive and well too. Sometimes, the unworthy had all the luck.  
  
Forty-two out of forty-seven of his crew were gone. They had been hand picked by Stargrave himself. The best people at each of their positions in his organization, all dead now. It would take him months, if not years to recover and get people as good, and as relatively trustworthy, as the ones he had just lost. Years of preparation wasted in a matter of minutes, with so many dead-  
  
A rectangular piece of metal that had broken off one of the consoles moved, and a grayish lump in baggy coveralls appeared. It looked the remains of the bridge over once and said, "I've been in worse crashes before."  
  
Forty-one out of forty-seven then. "I should have known you'd survive." Stargrave addressed Autolycus in a droll voice.   
  
"Of course." Autolycus felt a tinge of disappointment at being underestimated. "You don't get to live as long as I have without learning a trick or two on how to survive spaceship crashes."  
  
"A pity most of the crew didn't have your expertise," Malgaunt said as he finished doing his own examination of the remains of the bridge. "We'd better see if there are any other survivors."  
  
"There aren't," Stargrave assured him. Remorse threatened to overwhelm him looking over the ruins of his ship. "Everything towards the back, everything that was still attached, lost atmosphere when the hull was compromised. We need to find out what's still functioning."  
  
Ariana and Yoost tended to Joffry's shattered legs while Angstrom placed a couple of larger, and more solid-looking, pieces of debris on top of one another directly under the communications console. He balanced himself carefully, wobbling several times before finding a good spot to balance himself on, and began dismantling one of the panels attached to the base of the console.  
  
"What are you doing?" Stargrave asked.  
  
A panel came away in Angstrom's hands. "There are a couple of reserve sets of communication equipment stored under here. Smaller rigs. ARR-80's if I remember correctly. Slykes kept them here just in case the primary set went down and we needed backup fast. Also, a lot of the parts are compatible with the main console, and we could cannibalize the smaller units to repair the main one."  
  
"They have an independent power supply?" Stargrave asked.  
  
"Yes." Angstrom struggled to pull a rectangular black case from out of the niche in the console. It came free with a pop, a trail of wires playing out from a hole in the back of the case. "So much for this one."   
  
Angstrom tossed the case aside and repeated the process on a second panel. This time he was rewarded with an intact unit. A quick check showed that it was still in working order. "As it stands, this thing can send a signal up to three systems away. But I think I can boost the signal by jury rigging it to the remains of the primary unit."  
  
"Do it," Stargrave ordered. Now that they had a chance of communicating outside of the system. That meant they wouldn't be stranded in the middle of nowhere for an eternity. With that new found hope, Stargrave began taking control of the situation. "We're going to keep looking for salvageable equipment. I want everything we can possibly use found. Weapons. Food. Something to make a shelter out of. Importa..."   
  
Everyone watched as Stargrave's face grew pale and his lower lip began trembling. He appeared to age ten years in a matter of heartbeats.   
  
Ariana was the first to react. "What's-"  
  
"The Shihana!" Stargrave rushed out of the hole in the bridge. Sunlight washed over him. He was temporarily blinded by the glare of the twin suns high in the sky, but he refused to let that stop him as he staggered towards the rear of the ship and looked around in desperation. The area they had landed on was rocky, with tall gray stones that seemed to stick out at semi-regular intervals next to the ship. Sa'bre's breathing was ragged, despite what little physical exertion running outside required. He maneuvered around two stones that stood as tall as him before he arrived at the section of the ship he wanted.  
  
It was only once he was outside that the damage to the Rack N' Ruin could truly be appreciated. Over half of the ship was missing, and what remained of it might as well not have been there either. Numerous holes, some the size of a quarter to others five feet wide, riddled the hull where pieces of debris from the dreadnought had struck. Scorch marks covered the length of the ship from the burning reentry it had just undergone. And large strips of wood were peeled back, as though a carpenter had come and tried to whittle the starship down to a toothpick.   
  
But none of that mattered to Stargrave. The only thing he cared about was his Shihana and the special container it had been in. It took him a moment to piece together what was left of the ship and figure out where the cylinder should have been. He scanned the top of the upside down vessel, desperately trying to find the attachment.   
  
Eventually he found where it should have been. The part of the ship it had been attached to had not been lost with the rest of the vessel. However, all that remained of the cylinder were four small metal struts, twisted and blackened, signifying where the container with the Shihana had been.  
  
"NOOO!" Stargrave fell to his knees and wailed to the skies above. "It's gone! It's gone! All of my dreams! Why?! Why?!"  
  
The others had followed Stargrave as quickly as they could when he had first run outside. Like him, they had been blinded. Unlike him, they waited until their eyes had adjusted before trying to follow. They caught up to him quickly, just in time to see him scream in rage at the skies and curse every deity he could name. Ariana moved to comfort him, but the moment he was aware of her presence, Sa'bre lashed out with a backhand. Her hand blocked the blow reflexively. Though it had not connected, it hurt her just as much as if it had.  
  
"It was all for nothing!" Anger was now overriding the hopeless feeling in his breast. "My dreams are finished! It's gone! The last Shihana in the universe is-"  
  
"- Approximately forty kilometers southeast," Malgaunt said calmly as he stared at the red and green device that fit squarely in the palm of his hand.   
  
All eyes turned towards him. Stargrave returned to his feet and took several slow steps towards Malgaunt, almost afraid that if he approached too fast, the man would disappear, as though he were nothing more than a dream. "What do you mean?"  
  
Malgaunt held up the device, displaying it for all to see, but for Stargrave most of all. "I didn't want to take any chances on our prize becoming 'mislocated' somehow, so I took the precaution of placing a tracking device on the adamantine shell of the Shihana. Actually, it's placed on the inside of the keypad locking mechanism. As long as it remains intact, so will the tracking device. And according to this, our little flower is located forty kilometers to the southeast. Forty point three, to be more precise."  
  
"How do we know it wasn't destroyed when it hit the planet?" Onita asked.   
  
"Adamantine is strong enough to withstand orbital reentry," Malguant informed him. "The Shihana is intact. All we have to do is recover it."  
  
"First we have to get that transmitter working," Funuyaki corrected. "Recovering the Shihana won't mean anything if we're stranded on this rock with no way of getting off. Hell, unless someone thought to tell someone else where we were rendezvousing with Yagdagron, even the few people in the universe that don't want to blow our heads off won't know where to look for us."  
  
Stargrave shook his head. "Myself and Malgaunt were the only ones who knew we would be in this sector. I didn't inform Captain Yolleth until after we had landed on the station as to where the rendezvous would take place. I didn't want to take any chances with leaks on the Yagdagron's side. She might have informed her fleet where she was after I sent her the coordinates, but I doubt it. She was running under radio silence so as to keep anyone from picking up an errant transmission and somehow stumbling onto us."  
  
"Meaning without that transmitter, we might as well plant the Shihana ourselves," Funuyaki finished. That was the problem when you were trying to maintain a high level of secrecy; you never told anyone anything, and now they were going to pay for it.   
  
With a reluctant nod in Funuyaki's direction, Stargrave found himself agreeing with her. "Angstrom. Get that transmitter working. As for the rest of us, we're going after the Shihana right now."  
  
"Why bother?" Malgaunt said as he began to make his way back towards the bridge. "It's not going anywhere. And I want that transmitter working now. Once it's sending our emergency signal, then we can run off and get back our prize."  
  
"I'd feel better with it in hand," Stargrave said.  
  
"If we're going to make a forty kilometer trek, I want supplies," Malgaunt countered. "This planet hasn't been that accurately surveyed. All we know is it has a breathable atmosphere, no known intelligent lifeforms, and no nearby inhabited planets. There's no telling what sort of predators are out there, or if the plant or animal life is safe to eat. We don't even know what the weather's like. The Shihana isn't going anywhere on its own. We've got plenty of time to gather supplies together and get to our flower in good enough shape to bring it back."  
  
That was good enough for Onita and especially Funuyaki. The remaining members of the Rack N' Ruin looked towards their captain for what to do next.  
  
"Very well," Stargrave admitted reluctantly. "We'll get the transmitter working, salvage what we can, then set out. Do you have an extra locator?"  
  
"Yes," Malgaunt said a bit warily.   
  
Stargrave walked up to Malgaunt and held out his hand. "I want one just in case something happens to the one you have, or something happens to you."  
  
Under a different set of circumstances, or with someone he trusted less, Malgaunt would never have done it. But the stakes were too high not to take risks. He and Stargrave still needed each other, and he trusted the pirate as much as he could anyone, so he gave him the extra locator. It went into the pocket of Stargrave's purple outfit in an instant.  
  
Stargrave rested his hand on Malgaunt's shoulder. "We still have a chance to win the grand prize. My thanks, my friend."  
  
"And to you," Malgaunt returned the gesture.  
  
Off to the side, Funuyaki's eyes narrowed slightly. For a moment there, when she thought that Shihana had been destroyed, she held onto the hope that she had at last been cut free of the whole disastrous situation. Without the planet killer, their whole misbegotten mission would have been at an end and she might have been able to salvage something of her own from the situation. But no longer. Once again, the chain on her neck was pulled, reminding her of who she still answered to, and that she was once more brought back into the folds of the most dangerous of games.  
  
"I wonder what happened to that Galaxy Police officer," Autolycus said as the party made its way back to the bridge to begin salvaging the wreck.  
  
"She's dead. Her ship was completely gutted and was leaking radiation. Even if it somehow made it to the planet instead of exploding in deep space, her ship probably broke up in the atmosphere," Ariana said. "And even if it didn't, she wouldn't have survived planetfall."  
  
"We did," Fera reminded her.  
  
  
The thoughts were scrambled, a chaotic jumble of clashing images and sounds that whirled through the mind at an incomprehensible pace. Only forever and only for a moment the pandemonium lasted, then, through the cacophony, a sort of pattern began to form. A thing that resembled coherence.   
  
[You were thinking about something,] a little voice said at the back of a mind.  
  
Yes, that was right, he had been thinking of something. What was it?  
  
The thoughts came closer together, revealing themselves from the mist. [You were evaluating your life. People tend to do that when confronted with almost certain death situations. Although I think it was actually a first for you, in spite of the numerous times your life has been in mortal danger.]  
  
Right. That was it. His life had flashed right before his eyes. His mother had been there. So had his father, and his little cat that had died a while back. All of the later people that had recently entered his life had introduced themselves towards the end as well. Sasami, Aeka, Ryouko, Mihoshi, Washuu, even Ryo-Ohki. And carrots. There were lots of carrots. He was starting to hate carrots. Working in the fields was hard on his back, and he had never been wild about the vegetable in the first place. Anymore now it had seemed that was all he did was hoe and till, and till and hoe, and-  
  
[You're getting off track there, boy. Bring it back in.]  
  
Right. He hadn't dwelled that long on the carrots in the flashback anyhow. There had been bad guys too. Dr. Clay. Kagato. That odd couple of guys that had wanted to lock him up on a spaceship and send him really crappy movies. What were their names again? Dr. Forest and Francis? Frunk? Frenk?  
  
[Forget them. They were a couple of twits anyway. There was actually one, single, important thought in that mostly pointless little review you went though. Towards the end. Try and remember it.]  
  
What were the last thought that had gone through his mind? Something about forgetting to pack extra underwear for his trip?   
  
[No.]  
  
Worrying about the 'B' he was getting in Home Economics?  
  
[No.]  
  
That time he had looked through his father's collection of films and stumbled upon the 'special' one that had starred his mother, father, copious amounts of whip cream, and leather? That had been a seriously traumatizing incident. Parents weren't supposed to do THAT sort of thing, or at least their children weren't supposed to see it.  
  
[NOT THAT EITHER! THINK MAN! THINK!]  
  
Ah, yes. It was coming back to him now. It was something about being wishy-washy.  
  
[Yes.]  
  
Something about a choice.  
  
[Yes. That's it.]  
  
Something about being wishy-washy and making a choice.   
  
[Yes. Keep going. You almost have it.]  
  
It was about finally making a choice concerning one of the gir-  
  
Nope didn't remember it no sir completely lost from the memory forever and wasn't ever going to come back in any way shape or form so it would be best just to drop the subject completely and never consider it again since he was never going to actually think about it and that was that about that.   
  
[Pussy.]  
  
Shut up.  
  
And, much to Tenchi's relief, he woke up.  
  
"Stupid voice," he muttered to himself. It took a couple of seconds before full consciousness returned and he was oriented enough to move. The first thing he did was try to sit up, which he ended up regretting a moment later. Either he had been hit by something, or something had hit him, in the head. There was a large bump on the top of his skull, but no blood. His initial confusion had passed quickly enough to lead him to conclude that whatever damage he had taken was minor. Perhaps the blow to the head was what had triggered that strange voice in his mind. It was silent now, and that was all that really mattered. Once the initial wave of pain and disorientation passed, Tenchi remembered where he was and what events had led him to his current predicament. And that there was one other person also involved.   
  
"Mihoshi." He began looking around the ruins of the bridge. It was a mess, with computer banks having been ripped from their location, wires sticking out everywhere, glass from the broken lights above scattered on the floor, and the material from Mihoshi's normal mess thrown about into different messes. Even part of the wall next to the rear of the ship had buckled inward, disgorging torn metal and wiring all about that side of the room. Mihoshi had to be all right. If anything had happened to her, when he hadn't been able to help even though he was right there, he would never forgive himself.  
  
A groan came from somewhere to his left. He looked and saw a pair of legs, encased in blue pants, sticking straight up from among a pile of debris. They began wriggling of their own accord, and a soft voice filled with woe said, "Ohh. It feels like I've been in a spaceship crash."  
  
"You have," Tenchi said as he made his way over and helped Mihoshi out of the pile. He helped her to her feet, and after she confirmed that the world had stopped spinning for her benefit, they assessed the damage to their craft even as the crew of the Rack N' Ruin were doing at that moment a hundred kilometers away. The assessment was finished quickly, since little still worked on the entire ship.  
  
After failing to get any but the most basic of systems to work, Mihoshi gave up. "I'll try to get Yukinojo back on line. He might be able to help." It took her a few moments to hook up what little power remained to get him running again.   
  
The head unit that he used to communicate with the others was in shambles. The left half of the mechanical face was torn off and a series of wires hung down like a clump of yellow Spanish moss. One of the ocular units had fallen out, the eye-like camera hanging like an eyeball with the optical nerve keeping it from falling to the floor. And a greenish fluid would occasionally spurt out the side, shooting several feet away. Both Tenchi and Mihoshi winced at seeing him in such a way.  
  
Static overwhelmed what little Yukinojo's audio program could get out. It took a while for, "I don*ZKT* feel so *ZKT*ood," to come out clear enough for the others to understand.  
  
"You don't look too good, either." It was hard for Mihoshi to rein in the tears she felt coming to the fore. Yukinojo would want her to be strong. It was her duty as a Galaxy Police officer to remain stoic and calm.   
  
"But I can't help myself. WAAAA!"  
  
Tenchi winced as the deluge started, waited until it hit its apex, then relaxed as it began to subside.  
  
"Do*ZKT* shed tears f*ZKT* me," Yukinojo told her.  
  
"How bad is it?" Tenchi asked, feeling a surge of depression threaten to overwhelm him. He had barely known Yukinojo, and he was only a machine, but he seemed so lifelike that the idea of possibly losing the computer was affecting him.  
  
"Too dam*ZKT*d to run a *ZKT*ognistic."  
  
Mihoshi sniffled again, then composed herself as best as she could. There were still some options open to her, but there was something she had to know first. "Is your main memory core intact?"  
  
"*ZKT*nk so."  
  
"Then I think I can save your primary neural net." She went over to one of the computer consoles next to the control panel. She hit a button, but nothing happened. Frustrated, she tried manually opening a compartment that didn't have a manual lever. Digging her fingers in as deeply as she could at a corner of the metal cover of the compartment, she braced her leg against a side and pulled as hard as she could. The air was filled with the sounds of her gasping and groaning, but the metal only moved a handful of millimeters, bending slightly rather than giving way to her pressure. She had paused a moment to catch her breath when Tenchi moved up beside her. It was a difficult fit, but he managed to get his fingers under the corner that Mihoshi had pried up slightly. He mirrored Mihoshi by bracing his leg against the side next to hers. On the count of three, they pulled together, the metal making an audible pop as it came free and allowed access to the contents inside the compartment.  
  
Mihoshi pulled out a box with an intricate layer of wires and a variety of lights on the outside. At the touch of a button, the lights flashed in a three pulse series of yellow, green, and red. Satisfied, Mihoshi went back over to the main console, placed the box on the ground, then rested on her back as she began to unscrew several metal panels on the bottom of the main console.  
  
"What was that thing?" Tenchi asked.  
  
Mihoshi didn't pause in her work as she answered, "It's a storage interface. Once I retrieve all of the circuit boards with Yukinojo's primary neural net, I can transfer them to this box. We keep these around for emergencies, like if the ship is nearly destroyed and there isn't enough power to keep the primary net running. Now he'll be in his shut-down stage the entire time he's in the box, but he'll be in stasis instead of terminal shutdown. It's the only way I have of keeping him alive."  
  
A third panel was removed and Mihoshi gave a tiny clap with her hands. "That was easy. I can see the circuit boards now. I'm going to pull them ouOWOWOWOW!"  
  
The sound of a lot of electricity being funneled through a body preceded the smell of singed Mihoshi in the air. Tenchi lunged into the prone girl, feeling a brief surge of amperage course through him before Mihoshi's connection was severed.  
  
A small puff of smoke came from Mihoshi's lips as she sat up and said, "I don't think that was the right panel."  
  
"I'd hope not."  
  
"The one *ZKT* the left of that boa*ZKT*," Yukinojo got out. He could feel his systems crashing by the minute. If Mihoshi didn't hurry, he would cease to exist.  
  
The instructions enabled her to locate the correct circuit boards and she began removing them one by one. There was only one left when she took paused to take one last look at Yukinojo's damaged head. "This is it, Yukinojo. After I pull out this last circuit, you'll be truly off-line for the first time since you were created. I've heard other AI's compare this sort of thing to sleep, so don't worry. I'll turn you back on as soon as I can, I promise."  
  
Through what higher process remained, Yukinojo managed to say. "If I go to sleep, will I dream of electric sheep?"  
  
"Don't be silly. No one dreams of electric sheep." Mihoshi assured him. She gently ran her head along the intact portions of the head. Her voice was full of emotion. "Go to sleep now. And have pleasant dreams. You'll be awake before you know it."   
  
It was the same thing her mother used to tell her when she was a little girl and was being tucked into bed late at night. It had seemed appropriate to use now, and after the words had left her mouth, Mihoshi knew she had been right.  
  
The last circuit board came out easily, and Mihoshi placed it in the box. It took several seconds for her to properly set the unit up. Once fully functional, she double-checked it and made certain it was operating correctly. Satisfied that his neural net was intact, she set the case in a safe area of the bridge that had little other than cosmetic damage.  
  
"I think he'll be all right," Mihoshi told Tenchi. "The battery system on that can last up to two months. We'll be able to get him a new ship by then."  
  
"What do we do now?" he asked.   
  
Mihoshi considered that. "Well, one of our professors at the Galaxy Police Survival Training Course, Dr. Lector, said that when you're stranded on a planet, always preserve dead bodies in case you're starving and need to eat later. He said don't worry about the flavor either, since most races' flesh tastes like chicken anyway."  
  
A sweatdrop formed on the back of Tenchi's head. "Ah, even if there were some dead bodies around, I really don't think we need to resort to cannibalism. I'm sure there's plenty of food on the ship and there's probably food on this planet too."  
  
"I guess you're right," Mihoshi admitted. "The next thing we're supposed to do is set up an emergency beacon so other starships can find us."  
  
Tenchi looked at the main control panel where the communications equipment had been. The emphasis on 'had'. "I don't think it's going to work. It looks like it's busted up pretty badly, and there's hardly any power left on the ship."  
  
"Not to worry. Just follow me." Mihoshi grabbed an emergency light and went through the broken door leading from the bridge, taking the corridor to the right. Tenchi followed close on her heels. The going was difficult since the passageway was littered with broken pieces of debris from the ceiling and walls, leftover gifts from the crash. They had to pick their way over piles of debris, sometimes very carefully due to the assortment of sharp objects that protruded from the piles.  
  
As they made their way down the darkened passageway, the yellow beam dancing across the floor as the light bounced in Mihoshi's hand, Tenchi wondered what she was up to now. Sometimes it seemed she knew what she was doing, but other times, like the cannibalism issue, made him wonder exactly why he was following her lead. The truth was that sometimes being around her was more stressful than finding himself caught between Ryouko and Aeka when it was 'that time of the month' for both of them.   
  
Thoughts turned briefly to that pair, and he hoped they were faring better than he and Mihoshi were, not that that would be a difficult feat. Ultimately, he wondered if he should have been surprised that things had gone the way they had. The duo of the princess and the pirate constantly surprised him -plenty of both good and bad surprises- but they had a tendency to operate within certain patterns, making them at least a little predictable. Not so with Mihoshi. She was more like the personification of chaos, so tempestuous that even Washuu could not predict her comings and goings. Trying to anticipate what Mihoshi was going to do next was like trying to figure out which way a leaf was going to blow when cast into a tornado. And like the other girls, sometimes the chaos was a refreshing change, but other times it was like being punched in the gut by a three-hundred pound gorilla. Mihoshi was a living contradiction, like most of the people that had somehow ended up in his life.  
  
[Which is why you should choose one and get it over with.]  
  
"Shut up!" Tenchi snapped at the returned voice.  
  
Mihoshi turned, shining the light in Tenchi's eyes and blinding him. "I didn't say anything."  
  
"I, ah, I didn't mean you," Tenchi said as lamely as possible.  
  
The tone of his response made Mihoshi look at him curiously. "Are you hearing voices? Sometimes that happens if you've taken a bump to the head, and you've got a really big one right on the top there. Maybe you've got a concussion. Let me check." She moved closer, taking a good look at his eyes. "Ohh. Your pupils were all dilated for a second there. They say that's a sign of a concussion."  
  
"They were dilated because we were walking around in the dark with only your flashlight to see by," Tenchi pointed out as he shielded his eyes from the glare.  
  
"Oh, right." Mihoshi shone the light back they way they had been originally heading and continued forward. "If you keep having auditory hallucinations, let me know. There're some tranquilizers in the first-aid kit that'll quiet any voices you might be hearing. Of course, they'll also pretty much knock out all of your higher brain functions too. And make you drool a lot, but at least the voices will stop. And I can wipe up the drool for you."  
  
"Thanks for the offer. I'll be sure to let you know," Tenchi said, promising that even if he heard the Lizard King himself begin whispering in his ear and explained how to taste the color yellow, he wasn't going to say a word. Taking heavy medication recommended by Mihoshi was a bad idea, even under the best of times. And the idea of being nothing more than a walking droolbucket appealed to him even less.  
  
Eventually, they arrived at Mihoshi's destination; a plain metal door with a feathered wing emblem in the middle. It took the combined efforts of both to pry the door open, since there was still no power to the self-opening doors in that section of the ship either. Tenchi never thought he would miss the 'whoosh' sound the doors made and the burst of air that usually accompanied them opening. It was so much easier to just let the blasted things open on their own. And since they were supposed to be powered at all times, the designers had failed to take into account how much effort it would take to manually open them. It was like trying to force open something with a rusty lock.  
  
But the door gave under their combined strength, and they saw the interior of the room. Unlike most of the ship, the room was mostly intact, save for the large cracks along most of the walls. Still, it had fared better than the majority of the ship. Mihoshi began grabbing various boxes, kits, and other odds and ends. The most curious things she grabbed were a set of identical staves that were about seven feet tall and had a series of multi-colored wires dangling from several points along their length. When her arms were full, she began handing things to Tenchi to carry.  
  
"What is this stuff?" Tenchi asked as she plopped a small box with a red cross on the top.  
  
More boxes were placed on top of the first one he held before Mihoshi said, "Emergency supplies. I think this is all we can carry this trip." She fingered her messy outfit. "There's some extra clothing here. Let me get changed into my battle uniform, then we'll take it outside."  
  
It didn't take long for Mihoshi to change (after Tenchi had left the room, still holding the multitude of boxes) into her orange and black skin-tight battle uniform. Now that Tenchi thought about it, he wondered if the male members of the Galaxy Police had to wear outfits that were as... form fitting as Mihoshi's was. It would be sort of sexist if they didn't, but on the other hand, if some of the policemen he knew had to wear outfits like that, the sight really wouldn't be pretty.  
  
It was only once he was outside that Tenchi was fully able to appreciate the abuse the ship had undergone. The original red coloring of the vehicle was now scorched black. It appeared the engines had been ripped off the vessel, one of them being deposited in the mile long furrow the ship had left when it had made its crash landing. There were holes and rents along the entire length of the ship. A two-meter wide groove rode the length of the ship from bow to stern, most likely from that final shot that had sent the ship on its death-plunge. Armor was peeled back, warped, or melted outright from both near misses of laser fire and from their speedy entry into the planet's atmosphere. It was a miracle they had walked away from their landing at all.  
  
Tenchi took a good look at the planet they had landed on. The area was verdant with plant life. The majority of it was composed of grasses and shrubs, with only a handful of slender trees, or what passed for trees on the planet, decorating the landscape. As far as emergency landing strips went, Mihoshi had made a good choice. The land was level for kilometers around and there were no large obstructions that would have caused additional damage to the ship, not that the amount of damage wasn't appalling to begin with.  
  
Calling the plant life greenery would have been inappropriate. There were a handful of bright reds and exotic purples scattered here and there, but by far the majority of the foliage was a dull yellow that was identical to the coloring of the old wooden pencils Tenchi used when he was in elementary school. The grasses around the ship and in the distance appeared high, much of it coming up to Tenchi's waist and reminding him of pictures he had seen of the African savanna. Wind made waves across the ocean of tall grass, flowing from one direction and continuing unabated until the ripples were out of sight. Tenchi doubted there was any place on Earth, untouched by man, that could have appeared so beautiful. For a moment, a tear threatened to form in his eye.  
  
In the distance there was a loud squawk, and a flock of birds shot out lightning quick from the high grass. They took off, soaring high in the sky and opposite the direction of the crashed ship. That seemed to answer any questions about there being animal life on the planet. Tenchi tried listening for other sounds that might have come from animals, but aside from the ever fainter squawks, there was nothing. All seemed peaceful for the moment, perhaps as some form of balance due to the loud noise the spaceship had made when it crash landed.  
  
Mihoshi had only given the land a cursory look before she set her gear down and began planting the long poles into the ground. She had a semi-circle of them done before Tenchi asked what she was doing.  
  
"This is a portable communications array. It's very powerful and can reach out of the system. I'm going to set it up to transmit a continuous emergency signal with who we are and our coordinates. That way someone can get here quickly, I hope, and rescue us."  
  
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"Sure. Go into that red tool box and pull out a pair of ruxeterrs."  
  
"Ah, okay." Tenchi began looking through the box Mihoshi had indicated. He wasn't sure what a pair of ruxeterrs looked like, but he was a man, and if it was a tool, he could identify it. It was a basic instinct with his gender.  
  
Locating the pair of ruxeterrs proved to be a more difficult task than he had anticipated. There were some tools in the box that he was easily able to identify: Pliers, ratchet set, duct tape (that was a universal constant, according to Washuu), bolts, cranks. Other items weren't so easy to identify. There was a wide assortment of various items inside, slender and wide, long and short, one piece and complex with moving parts. His instincts seemed to be failing him as he randomly pulled out a device that had two long cubes attached together by a long wire between them.  
  
Tenchi held out the item for Mihoshi to see. "Is this it?"  
  
Mihoshi let out a gasp and closed the distance between her and Tenchi in a couple of strides. She grabbed one of the cubes and ripped the object out of his hands. The other cube and length of wire sailed over her shoulder. "Tenchi! That's a hand-held laser wire. It's very dangerous and not a toy. If you aren't careful, you could end up slicing off your hand or something more important. You've got to take care of dangerous items like this or they'll cause a lot of trouble."  
  
At first, Mihoshi wasn't sure why Tenchi chose to say nothing, but rather pointed over her shoulder instead. It took a moment to realize that he wanted her to look behind. Perhaps it was something dangerous that only she, as a representative of the Galaxy Police, could handle. She turned and saw nothing out of the ordinary. There were no spaceships, criminals, or wild animals. It was just the tools she had already been using, the cotton tail on her uniform, and the rods she had sunk in the ground, except for the one that had been cut in half and was now lying on the ground.  
  
"Oops," Mihoshi said as she realized what she had done. She handed the laser wire back to Tenchi. "It's a good thing they pack spare rods."  
  
The rest of the work went more quickly as Tenchi helped Mihoshi set up the portable array and program it to send off a continuous SOS signal. Once that was accomplished, they did an inventory of their other supplies. They had about two weeks of emergency rations, a bio-analyzer to tell what vegetation and water was safe to eat, a survival kit, a first aid kit, and an assortment of smaller odds and ends that might be needed later. About the only thing they didn't have was any additional weapons, and that was because the wall to Mihoshi's armory had been the part of the ship that had taken the last hit from the energy blast. Most of the weapons had gone flying out into deep space, and those that were locked down tighter had been crushed when the ship had crashed. It didn't matter that much. Mihoshi still had her sidearm and Tenchi still had the Master Key with him. Between those two items, they felt they had little to worry about in the form of dangerous animals.   
  
Both suns were still high in the sky when Mihoshi dragged out a vehicle from the remains of her docking bay. Tenchi was surprised to see that it had the outward appearance of a motorcycle, aside from the fact it had no tires, but instead two flat squares where they tires should have been.   
  
"What is that?"  
  
"An Oxerat 200 Hoverbike," Mihoshi explained. "Generally we use them for short range reconnaissance work. They move very quietly and can seat two." She patted the long seat a few times, indicating where the passenger would sit behind the pilot. "It even has an antigrav sled that can be hooked up to the back when you need to carry extra mass. They're really quite useful. Most patrol ships have at least one with them nowadays."  
  
"Why did you bother to get it out though?" Tenchi asked as Mihoshi began going over the hoverbike. He was pretty sure he didn't like the direction the conversation was heading.  
  
The hoverbike hummed gently as Mihoshi began tweaking the engine. "I thought we'd take a look around and get the lay of the land. That way we'll know where we are and what resources are on hand, in case we're here for a while."   
  
Actually, that made a great deal of sense. Tenchi nodded in approval.  
  
Mihoshi finished hooking up the antigrav sled, which consisted of two long rods that could set up an antigravity field between the two of them, to the back of the bike. Once finished, she said, "Let's get going." She hopped on the bike and indicated that Tenchi should sit behind her.  
  
"We're going now?" That seemed a bit abrupt. They had just crashed several hours earlier.  
  
"Even if there's a rescue ship one system away, it'll still take them at least a day or more to get here. We have plenty of time." Mihoshi twisted the handlebar and the engine began to rev higher and higher.   
  
The resemblance to a more mundane motorcycle again crossed Tenchi's mind. "Well. I guess so." The reluctance in his voice matched his motions as he slowly got on behind Mihoshi. There didn't seem to be any handholds on the sides of the hoverbike, which meant he was going to have to grab onto something else if he wanted to maintain his balance while they were flying. Maybe he wouldn't have to hold on too tightly. Surely Mihoshi would go slowly, since she had a passenger.  
  
"Hold on tight," she said as she stared at the control panel in front of her. How did operating the bike go? There was a switch she had to flip, but which one was it? She randomly chose the one in the middle. She was rewarded with the bike lifting several meters off the ground.  
  
"Now for a little speed," she said to Tenchi from over her shoulder as she gave a quick twist to the speed dial.  
  
Twin screams of terror rang through the air as the hovercyle went from zero to two hundred kilometers per hour in less than five seconds.  
  
  
The crew of the Rack N' Ruin continued going over the remains of the vessel. Yoost and Onita were looking for additional weapons amidst the ruins of the ship. Angstrom was busy trying to put together a working communication unit. Joffry was laid out on the bridge in as comfortable a position as he could, given the condition of the ship and his shattered legs. Funuyaki and Ariana were scouting the area surrounding the ship. Autolycus had been assigned to try to scrounge some food from the debris, and Malgaunt and Stargrave randomly sifted through piles of wreckage trying to find anything of use and having little success.  
  
Fera was off to the side of the ship on her own. The first thing she had done was to try to locate the remains of her room. Upon finding it, she immediately began digging through the mess until she managed to pull three large metal cases out. Once they were free, she removed all the contents, spread them out in an open area next to the ship, and began putting them together using some tools that had been in the boxes. When Stargrave saw what she was building, he gave her permission to continue working on it while the others carried on with their assigned tasks.  
  
Malgaunt saw that Stargrave was beginning to pace again instead of searching for useful items. He could have asked what was troubling the criminal, but there was no point to it. Malgaunt already knew the answer as sure as he was going to take another breath. It was that damned plant. All Stargrave could do was fret about it since it wasn't on hand, and he would probably continue to do so until he either had it or Malgaunt had him clubbed into unconsciousness and chained to a rock. The second alternative was looking more appealing by the moment as Malgaunt's own temper was stretched thin.  
  
It was unusual for Stargrave to worry so. The man was usually as relaxed and in control as Malgaunt was, though on the outside Stargrave appeared the more easygoing of the pair. That was one of the things that had impressed Malgaunt into agreeing to the partnership between the two of them, Stargrave's ability to remain calm in a situation. Well, that and the resources he had as the head of a vast criminal organization.   
  
But now he was losing control, and getting worse, not better, in spite of Malgaunt's continued reassurances. The marshal couldn't understand the reason why, since they both shared the same risks if things fell through. Maybe Stargrave was simply taking things too personally. If there had been any alcohol that had survived the crash, Malgaunt would have given it to his friend in a second. Instead, he was forced to reassure him again that they could set out to recover the Shihana when the transmitter was working again.  
  
Malgaunt finally broke the silence. "It'll be over soon. We'll have the Shihana in hand in a couple of days at the latest."  
  
Stargrave shook his head. "Sooner than that, but every second seems like an eternity to me."  
  
"A watched Glarph never soils," Malgaunt said, invoking the power of the ancient proverb.  
  
"I hate that saying." Stargrave looked at his locator and checked on the position of the Shihana again.  
  
Malgaunt bent down and lifted a large piece of metal. There was the glint of something shiny underneath. "Bring that light under here. I think I've found an arc welder." He nodded towards something underneath the metal. The directed light showed that it was what Malgaunt had thought. "Go down and get it while I keep this up in the air."   
  
That was just what he needed. Something to keep Stargrave busy and hopefully more pleasant. Being stranded on the planet with only a handful of people, some of whom had a natural animosity, like ex-police officers and criminals, meant nerves would wear thin quickly. Usually it took at least several days for that sort of thing to happen, but in Stargrave's current mental state, his irritation would only transfer to his crew and then the situation would be very explosive. The sooner they got their hands on the Shihana, the better.   
  
After Stargrave retrieved the arc welder, they headed back to their temporary base of operations: the bridge. It was the most intact portion of the vessel left. From there they would build the transmitter and organize their search for the recovery of the Shihana. Then everything would settle down, and the group would relax until they were lifted off planet by one of their allies.  
  
Ariana returned to the ship and located them on their way back. Once there, she stood next to Stargrave and began informing him of what she had found. Malgaunt felt irritated at being left out. She was directing all of her comments towards Stargrave and pretended Malgaunt wasn't even there. He hoped Funuyaki had found something, so he could rub it in Ariana's face later.  
  
They were more than halfway back to the bridge when they came across Onita and Yoost, who were looking through piles of debris in the hopes of finding some sort of weapon. At present, all they had were the sidearms each person had been wearing at the time of the crash. There was no telling what sort of hostile animals were on the planet, and it was always better to have a big gun and not use it instead of needing a big gun and not having it.  
  
"Status?" Malgaunt asked Onita.  
  
"Three laser pistols and a couple of vibro-knives. Nothing but crap," Onita grunted as he stopped looking and sat down to take a rest.  
  
"I've found something." Yoost was about fifteen feet away from the others, at the far side of the room, when he pulled out a long black cylinder with a trigger and scope on the top. "I thought Bereneger kept some funky weapon in his room."  
  
"Hey! Be careful with that," Onita warned. "That's a Retree Plasma cannon. It's got some major firepower, but it's a real delicate instrument."  
  
Yoost laughed contemptuously at Onita. "You GP might be tight asses about procedures, but us here at the Rack N' Ruin play things a little faster and looser. I'll find out if it works." He aimed the plasma cannon at the wall that was next to the outside of the craft.  
  
"Don't do it." Onita got up and took a half step towards him. "It might-"  
  
The rest was cut off as Yoost pulled the trigger and the weapon blew up. The others ducked (save Ariana who threw herself in front of Stargrave) and shielded their eyes from the brightness of the small, yet powerful explosion. Onita was on his feet first despite being closest to the blast.   
  
He looked over Yoost's fallen form. "It might do that to you," he finished  
  
Ariana moved to his side and took a closer look at Yoost. She turned back to Stargrave. "He's still breathing, but not much."  
  
"Sloppy fool," Stargrave muttered under his breath. Louder, he said, "Can we?" He let the question end there. Ariana would know what he meant.  
  
"Not with the shape we're in. Probably not even if the ship was working like normal."  
  
"Take care of it then," Stargrave ordered.  
  
Everyone watched as Ariana drew her pistol and put Yoost out of his misery. The smell of charred flesh was overwhelming, so without a backward glance the four people left the chamber and headed for the bridge once more.  
  
The quartet walked a little ways before Malgaunt said, "Well, if there was any one person we could have spared, it was Yoost. There isn't much use for a hacker out here now."  
  
Stargrave didn't bother to look at him. "He was one of mine, not yours. So shut up!"  
  
Ariana sneered while Onita moved protectively towards Malgaunt. There was no need for it; Stargrave said nothing else, and the group continued onward.  
  
Upon arriving at the bridge, they saw that Angstrom had indeed been busy. Wires and batteries were strewn about the floor, concentrated mostly around the communications console. Various systems had been gutted to use for parts in boosting the signal of the reserve transmitter, and the effect made the bridge look even more cluttered than before. However, the news was good.  
  
"I should have it up and running in a couple of hours, no later," Angstrom assured him as Malgaunt offered the arc welder he was carrying. Angstrom nodded in gratitude. The pocket laser he had been using was sufficient for the job, but it took far longer to use to get the same results the larger instrument would offer.   
  
"Once it's up and running, I want you to send a signal on this frequency." Stargrave ran off a set of numbers.  
  
"That's a pretty obscure wavelength," Angstrom said. "Not much chance of someone picking it up."  
  
"It's the Yagdagron military channel. There should be some of their ships listening for it, in case Yolleth wanted to contact them. Although I doubt if they'll be nearby."   
  
"That might mean a long wait." Everyone turned in surprise to see Autolycus standing slightly behind the captain. No one had realized he had returned to the bridge.  
  
"We can't use any of our standard smuggler frequencies because they might be monitored. And it's not like we want a private vessel coming since we'll be carrying the Shihana with us." Stargrave shook his head. "No. It's too risky. We can't chance someone finding us here with Shihana. We'll contact the Yagdagron and complete the mission. Once it is in their hands, then we can rest easy."  
  
Autolycus began to shake his head when Fera entered through the hole of the bridge. "The bike's complete." She directed her comment to Stargrave.  
  
"Excellent. We can-"  
  
"What bike?" Malgaunt asked, interrupting Stargrave's orders.  
  
Stargrave took a deep breath, then began his explanations. "Fera had made a recent purchase of a kit bike-"  
  
"An Alto-Vax Retread with the supernitro-injection engine and a 1A Kolp Sensitivity Web in the steering," Fera gushed. "It cost me over ninety thousand space-bucks."  
  
"It's-"  
  
"You know it's illegal to own one of those." It was Onita who had interrupted Stargrave this time.  
  
"Are you going to arrest me?" Fera asked.  
  
"Ah, no," Onita said hesitantly, unsure of what she meant by that.  
  
"Then shut up!" Fera snarled.   
  
Stargrave turned to Ariana and said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, "Shoot the next person that interrupts me." Ariana drew her pistol, keeping it at a ready position at her side.  
  
Now once again in command of the situation, Sa'bre Stargrave began for the fourth time, "Due to the fact it was a recent purchase, it was still in its component parts in its cases. Since the cases were made of osmium steel, and Fera's quarters were still in the part of the ship after it crashed, it was intact. She's been building it since she dug the cases out of the wreckage. I deemed it more important than any salvaging she could have done. Now that it's complete, and in working order, I intend to go out with her and retrieve the Shihana."  
  
"Not if you want it brought back, you're not," Fera said, her voice not inviting a discussion of the matter as she crossed her arms and looked expectantly at her captain.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Stargrave asked. Fera's insolence affected his stressed nerves far more than it had before.  
  
Stating it as a matter of fact, Fera said, "Even with the drag rig on, there's no way I can accommodate a passenger as well as the Shihana. So if you go with me, it stays right where it is."  
  
Stargrave considered that. "I suppose I can fly it if I had to." It had been at least five years since he had last driven a hoverbike, and he hadn't been very good at it even then, but he thought he could manage.  
  
"Not my bike, you don't," Fera's fur bristled and she bared her fangs in Stargrave's direction.  
  
Ariana leveled her pistol at Fera. "He's your captain. You'll damn well do what he says, even if it means learning to crap in a litter box like the rest of your kind."  
  
Fera's muscles tensed at the derogatory insult leveled at her and her race. Despite a superficial resemblance, Katasan's were not related to housecats and took offense to anyone that implied it. She prepared to rush forward and rip out Ariana's throat, unmindful of the weapon leveled at her.  
  
A clapping near the hole on the bridge caught everyone's attention. Fera switched targets to the newcomer, while Ariana's pistol swiveled in that direction.  
  
"If you shoot her, can I have the bike?" Funuyaki asked as she leaned lackadaisically against the torn wood and metal of the hole.  
  
"Enough!" Malgaunt said. His lieutenant's distraction had given him enough time to assess the situation and take control of it himself. Stargrave was obviously more stressed out than the marshal had assumed, if he had this little control over his subordinates. He needed to take a page from Malgaunt's own book. Onita and Funuyaki were still obedient to his every command, in spite of the stress of the situation, like true subordinates were supposed to be.  
  
The remaining members of the crew of the Rack N' Ruin looked suspiciously at Malgaunt, but said nothing. Even Stargrave remained silent. That was to whom Malgaunt directed his attention towards.  
  
"Fera's the one that should go and retrieve the Shihana. The bike's the fastest way to get it here, and she's the ideal one for the job. If that bike of hers has a sensitivity web that highly attuned, none but the most skilled of riders could probably keep from wrecking it, and somehow I doubt if you've been hot dogging it lately." Malgaunt saw the acceptance start to creep up on Stargrave's face. A little more should do it and then victory would be Malgaunt's. "She's the best flyer among us, and we really need you here to keep giving orders to the others." He hoped Stargrave had a clear enough head to pick up on the all too accurate implication: 'Your crew won't take orders from me.'  
  
After another moment of consideration, Stargrave nodded his head. "You're correct. Fera should fly out alone and retrieve the prize. Now give her your locator."  
  
Malgaunt's head jerked slightly. "Why mine?"  
  
"Because she needs it to locate the Shihana, and I want to keep mine." And to show the others that I still hold the reigns of command, was the added implication to that order. Malgaunt picked up on the inference and went with it. If Stargrave felt the urge to save face, it meant he was still thinking with a clear mind.  
  
He handed his locator to Fera, who turned on her heel the moment it touched her hand and exited the vessel.   
  
Almost as soon as Fera left, Malgaunt noticed Stargrave become depressed at having his plans thwarted. As Malgaunt expected, a dark look overcame Stargrave's features as well. He was brooding. Malgaunt had spent enough time with the pirate captain to know that the dark mood would start coloring everything he did. Steps would have to be taken to try to shake, or at least distract, Stargrave out of his mood. Malgaunt made small talk with Funuyaki and Onita until he thought of something that might work.   
  
The Marshal made his way over with his subordinates in tow. "That Ariana seems to be very competent, even for your crew." He pointed over to where the person in question was separating the items they had salvaged into different groups depending of their use.   
  
Malgaunt's plan worked as Stargrave brightened a little. He enjoyed bragging about his crew, or at least the more useful members of it. "Ah, Ariana. Yes. She was quite the find. Would you like to hear how I came across her and she came under my command?"  
  
Upon hearing her name, Ariana made her way over to the small group. She was interested in hearing how her captain would tell the tale. It gave her a certain amount of pride that Stargrave felt like bragging about her, and was interested in hearing how he would tell the story.  
  
Stargrave gave his first mate a tight smile and began. "My dear, sweet, faithful Ariana was won by me in a card game."  
  
"Oh?" Malgaunt said. Onita and Funuyaki wore puzzled expressions.  
  
"Ariana is from Andarea, as you might have been able to tell by her slight accent. It's a small out of the way planet that has several treaties with the Jurai, though is not actually a part of it. Andarea's world government is a male-dominated monarchic system. Women are treated as little more than property. Valuable property, but property all the same. And the most valuable of all are the high born ladies, such as Ariana here."  
  
"How come?" Onita asked.  
  
Stargrave bit off the sharp reply on his tongue. He hated being interrupted, but he wanted to finish his tale more than wasting time with the reprimand. "Because they are taught the combat arts almost from the moment they can walk. They receive extensive training in most personal arms and hand-to-hand fighting. You see, among the males of the nobility, certain forms of assassination are viewed as an acceptable means of advancement. Not bombs or poisons, mind you, but rather up close and personal methods, such as blades, pistols, and even bare hands. Since paying for standard bodyguards around the clock costs a small fortune, it's simply more economical for a nobleman to pay a one-time bride price for a well-trained noblewoman and marry her. That way they stay at the side of their man at all times. Quite practical, when you stop and think about it. And since noblemen are allowed to have multiple wives, they can have twenty-four hour protection, as well as the fringe benefits that apply when one is married to a beautiful bodyguard." Stargrave gave a smile at the joke. He failed to notice Ariana's own downcast look in his direction.  
  
"As for Ariana herself, she was bought and married to a rather wealthy lord named Bethlamu who had this gambling problem. Namely he didn't know when to quit when his luck went bad. I was involved in such a game, winning quite soundly, and legitimately I might add, when Bethlamu ran out of funds. Instead of walking away, he offered to put up Ariana as collateral. I could see the pompous snob was unworthy of her protection at a glance. It was my duty to rescue her. I accepted and won her, of course. The poor fool didn't know what to do without her. He had other wives, of course, but none as talented as Ariana. He even offered to buy her back later when he got more funds, as though there was enough money in all of his coffers to buy someone like her back."  
  
"So she's your slave?" Funuyaki asked, becoming even more disgusted with the man.   
  
"Hardly," Stargrave scoffed. "I freed her the moment I won her, then offered her a job working for me. The poor dear didn't know what to do at first; she did have a lifetime of conditioning which made her think of herself as nothing more than property to be bartered with by other men, but she's broken out of that frame of mind since. She's her own woman now, free to come and go as she pleases."  
  
"I'd never leave you," Ariana insisted.   
  
"Ah, but women are fickle," Stargrave said whimsically. "You say that now, but will you feel the same a year from now?"  
  
"I'd stay with you forever," she said with total conviction.   
  
Funuyaki rolled her eyes. It really was quite clever maneuvering on Stargrave's part. In freeing her, he bound her to his will more tightly than he could have hoped if she had remained his property. After all, once permanently outside Andarea, Ariana would have seen what it meant for women to be free and might have developed ideas of her own concerning her independence. But in freeing her first, Stargrave had made her feel indebted to him, at least she did once she understood the concept of freedom outside her own world. No doubt he had done other things as well to bind her to him. And Ariana was blind to it all. Truly the man knew how to manipulate people like a master.  
  
Had Funuyaki been able to read Ariana's thoughts, she would have learned that she was only half right. It was true that had been Stargrave's plan, and Ariana had originally served him out of a feeling of debt, but as time went on, Ariana genuinely fell in love with the man. It went far deeper than merely freeing her from her bondage. It went far deeper than him treating her like a person instead of like property. It was the man himself whom she loved. He was truly an inspiration. Confident in his abilities. Ruthless in his ambitions. Dominating in his personality. Yet there was also a definite code of honor within him; it was just something few could make out among the various actions he did. He was a hundred times the man Bethlamu was, and she would sooner cut her former husband's throat than allow herself to be enslaved to him for even a second ever again.   
  
Stargrave was a man that was actually worthy of her love, and she was worthy of his. He showed it in the manner he behaved around her. When they were alone, he was open in ways that he never was with others. She knew more about him than anyone else. While it was true that she did not know the exact details of his past, it was something from there that drove him to become the man he was today. She was the only one that came close to understanding him. Even if he did not love her now, there would come a day when he would look upon her in a new light and at long last love her in return. She knew it in her heart. And until that day, she would willingly and faithfully serve at his side as long as she drew breath in her body.  
  
Stargrave's momentary surge of pride passed and something of a dark mood settled over him again, though its hold was not as strong as before. He followed Ariana back to the piles of salvaged items and began sorting through them with her. Malgaunt and the others separated and began helping reclaim what they could from the ship once again.  
  
  
Fera's fur bristled with anticipation as she mounted her bike. At last she was going to get a chance to fly fast and be alive for the first time since she had landed on the miserable mudball. True, it was a testament to her skills that anyone could even walk away from the site of the crash, and it would add to her already impressive list of deeds when she reached final judgment, but already she found her soul wanting more. It wasn't just her skills she wanted to show off; it was competition she desired. All Katasans knew that tests of skills against the forces of nature, like Hell's Gate, were ultimately victories only for one's personal spirit. One could not defeat the forces of nature; one could only survive them.   
  
However, when challenging other living beings, that was different. Then it was solely a matter of skill versus skill, and only the best, or the luckiest, survived. The more worthy the opponent, the more honor one gained in their defeat. And the more opponents that were defeated, the higher one was elevated into paradise when the final tally was added up and judgment was rendered.   
  
There had not been many that had tested Fera of late. None that were what she considered worthy, in any case. There had been that runner that had tried to stupidly attack the Rack N' Ruin a couple of weeks ago (the Gods only knew why he didn't recognize the ship on sight) and had made a pretty good run for it. It had taken Fera almost a whole two and a half minutes to bring him into line so the gunners could take him out. And then there was that Gippetten ship they nailed last week. Those speedy little things were usually good prey, and their vehicles packed a nasty sting for something so small. It had lasted almost three minutes before being shredded by the twin threats of her piloting and the Rack N' Ruin's guns.  
  
There had been many others before those two -too many to count- but now there was one that had caught Fera's attention like no other. Not even the idea of flying against any more of her fellow Katasans excited her that much. It was all about the one who had moved so fluidly, that flight was one of her higher instincts. The one who had so easily defied the odds that Fera felt intoxicated at the very idea of seeing her in action again. And unlike the other members of the crew, she felt confident that somehow, in spite of the odds, Mihoshi had survived. And if she had survived, Fera would find her. Then the two of them would engage in the duel that destiny decreed they should have. And in the end, one of them would find out what paradise was really all about.  
  
  
"Would you please slow down?!" Tenchi shouted from his position from behind Mihoshi. Almost from the instant they had lifted off the ground, Mihoshi had chosen to fly at a breakneck speed that had given probably given Tenchi a bad case of whiplash, if the pain from his neck was any indication of it.   
  
The land was a blur below them, the wide fields becoming a sea of yellow, and then of blue and green as Tenchi assumed the grass had changed color. Their speed increased as Tenchi held onto Mihoshi even tighter than before, praying she didn't turn too quickly and send him flying off the bike. He was in such a panic that he barely realized that his grip had shifted from her waist to somewhere higher and softer instead. But the new hold did afford him a better grasp upon the driver, so perhaps he could be forgiven.  
  
Fear intensified as he wondered what was going to happen, as the sea of blue and green grass changed to a drier and more rocky terrain. Even at the speed they were going at, Tenchi could tell the difference in the land. He hoped Mihoshi could figure out some way to slow down, or else they were surely doomed.  
  
Mihoshi heard Tenchi's pleas and matched them cry for cry with tears of her own. It had been so long since she had used the hoverbike that she now was uncertain of how to stop it. There were three controls she could use. One would stop the bike. One would activate the afterburner and quadruple the two hundred kilometer speed they were currently at. And the other one would do something that Mihoshi wasn't sure of.  
  
Her mind raced with the possibilities, then eventually realized that since she didn't have the faintest clue as to which button was which, it didn't really matter which one was pushed. So Mihoshi opted for the one in the center.  
  
Windshield wiper fluid sprayed out across the windshield. Now she remembered what the third control did. She was about to try switch number two, when she realized she had forgotten to warn Tenchi of what was about to happen. "Hold on tight!" she cried out over the wind.  
  
Tenchi heard and tightened his grip.   
  
As Tenchi tightened his grip, Mihoshi gasped delightedly and briefly forgot what she had planned on doing. Actually, she was pretty damn happy with the way things had suddenly turned out, and their high speed didn't seem to matter so much any longer.  
  
Tenchi buried his face in her back, trying to keep the wind out of his eyes, and also to keep from looking down as the land had seemed to be getting progressively closer to the bottom of their hoverbike, and they had not been that high to begin with. "Nothing's happening!" he shouted.  
  
"I wouldn't say that," Mihoshi said as the pleasant feelings continued to override her higher functions.   
  
"What was that?!" Tenchi shouted over the roar of the wind.  
  
"Hold tighter!" Mihoshi answered loudly enough to be heard this time.  
  
Tenchi was going to do so anyway as he dared to look down once and saw that the land below was coming uncomfortably close now.  
  
Again Mihoshi moaned. It was almost as pleasant as the time she had bathed baby Taro and he had mistaken her for his mother. As she lost herself to the sensation, her hand fell downward, near where she was straddling the bike, and hit a lever located right where the base of the seat met the steering column. The lever turned out to be the emergency brake.  
  
The hoverbike skidded on air to a stop, slowing down enough so that when both Mihoshi and Tenchi slammed into the plexi-plastic windshield on the bike, they survived the impact. They did have a bit of difficulty peeling their faces off the plexi-plastic, and were a bit shaken up by the impact, but were otherwise fine.  
  
Mihoshi shook her head clear. She had forgotten all about the emergency brake. That made things a bit easier, since she remembered which switch would land the bike. She located the right one and flipped it all the way to its lowest position.  
  
And the bike plummeted like a rock, slamming hard into the ground ten feet below.  
  
"Oww." Mihoshi wondered if her tailbone was still there. Probably, since it hurt so much. "I forgot. You're supposed to turn the switch slowly, stopping at each notch, rather than turning off the landing control all at once. If you don't you kind of-"  
  
"-Crash," Tenchi finished for her as he shook his head a bit to clear it. The way his teeth had slammed together when they had hit, he was sure a couple of them had been knocked out. He was about to reproach Mihoshi about being more careful when he realized where his hands had been located both before the abrupt slowdown and after.  
  
"Gah!" he removed his hands as quickly as he could. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to grab you there."  
  
A small blush formed on Mihoshi's cheeks. Mihoshi didn't mind it. Tenchi minded it. Aeka and Ryouko would have minded it violently, but Mihoshi didn't mind it at all. She looked over her shoulder at Tenchi and said, "No need for apologies. It was sort of, ahh..." she trailed off, embarrassment at the slightly sexual situation overriding her body's healthy, natural, normal impulse to jump Tenchi then and there.   
  
Yes, while on the bike. Mihoshi's sense of balance could be quite good when it had to be.  
  
"It didn't bother me at all," she finally managed to get out.  
  
Tenchi's blush was four times that of Mihoshi's. As the full repercussions of what he had done set in, he found it hard to look her in the eye. When he at last worked up the courage, he said, "I promise not to do it again."  
  
Mihoshi went from looking slightly embarrassed to crestfallen.  
  
[You're a bloody little queer, aren't you?]  
  
"Shut-" Tenchi quit before Mihoshi accused him of talking to himself again.  
  
[You grab a woman's tits and, instead of enjoying the cheap cop, you apologize for it. Never mind the fact that it's obvious you weren't trying to hit on her, and that you know damn well she's attracted to you and probably didn't even mind it. Hell, you've hurt her feelings by saying you'd never touch her breasts again. Way to go, Mr. Sensitivity. Why don't we try to find out why you're such a putz, shall we?]  
  
Tenchi repressed the urge to shout the voice down.  
  
[HA! I knew it. Here we are, latent bi-sexual tendencies stored away really deep in the subconscious. Darn near tripped over the things, they're hidden so well. I bet you thought Kagato was a real cutie.]  
  
"I'm not gay!" Tenchi shouted.   
  
"I didn't say you are," Mihoshi said in surprise at the uncalled for protestation. "I didn't think it either. I just assumed you were being a gentleman and maybe, maybe you weren't really interested in me." She blurted out the last part and ended it with a sigh.  
  
The hackles rose on the back of Tenchi's neck and he felt put under the spotlight. With that one statement from Mihoshi, he now had one foot in a trap that would close on him and chew it off if he said the wrong thing.  
  
[Just tell her you're gay and be done with it.]  
  
A low growl rose from his throat. The anger made him know what to do. He grabbed both of Mihoshi's hands and held them in a soft, gentle, grasp. "It's not that I don't like you. It's just that I'm not the sort of guy that goes around grabbing women's chests and feels comfortable about it. That's the only reason I'm apologizing so vehemently."  
  
The Tenchi Solution: (def.) Being evasive and dodging tough questions when it came to women. Employed at every turn and at all costs when serious female situations arose.  
  
It was a technique Tenchi Masaki had developed like a pro, his mastery the equivalent of a man four times his age and experience. It was a skill that would serve him well once he was married. It also served to get him out of his current predicament by working wonders on Mihoshi. She took a non-outright agreement as a sign that he might actually be interested in her and cheered up considerably.  
  
"Let's stretch our legs." Mihoshi rose and did so. She jogged in place for a few seconds, then bent down and touched her toes while her back was to Tenchi. When he realized what a view he was being presented with, he looked away, then thought better of it and forced himself to look straight at her rear end. He examined it very carefully, close enough to confirm that that part of Mihoshi's body was indeed both very firm and very symmetrical. At the first signs of a reaction from certain parts of his anatomy, he turned away and mumbled under his breath, "See. A perfectly normal reaction to staring at an attractive girl that way."  
  
[Having your nose bleed is NOT a perfectly normal reaction, you twit!]  
  
"Why you-"  
  
[On the other hand, you admitted she was attractive without even trying, so maybe there's hope for you yet.]  
  
"Of course there is," Tenchi said.  
  
"Of course there is what?" Mihoshi asked.  
  
"Ah," Tenchi was beginning to consider asking Mihoshi for some of the medication she had talked about earlier, when he noticed a large pile of upturned earth in the middle of a large field of grass on the side of the hill a considerable distance away. There was something odd about it, even at that range. "What do you make of that?"  
  
Mihoshi looked in the direction Tenchi was pointing. "I'm not sure. I think it might be an impact crater. Let's take a look."  
  
"On the bike?" Tenchi asked with a slight tremor of fear in his voice.  
  
"Don't worry. I remember how to fly it now. We'll be safe." She hopped onto the bike.  
  
Reluctantly, Tenchi followed. He made certain to grasp only her stomach this time, although he did adjust his grip a bit high so that his arms were wrapped around right under the lower curve of Mihoshi's breasts. That would show the voice in his head. If Mihoshi minded, she gave no indication of it as she turned the hoverbike back on and took off once again, under better control this time.  
  
They didn't have to journey long, even at the decreased speed Mihoshi was traveling at. Tenchi's original estimation on the distance from the hill the crater had been on was off by a lot. Without an accurate point of reference between where they had been and the hill, he had been off by about thirty kilometers. It took several minutes for them to draw near enough that Tenchi could see that Mihoshi's guess had been correct; it did appear to be an impact crater. The earth around it had been kicked up in wide circle about a hundred meters wide, showing that the ground beneath was much darker than the brownish topsoil in the surface. The mounds of earth were strewn loosely about, showing that the impact had been recent, just as Tenchi had suspected. In the center of the carnage, both of them could clearly see the object that had caused the crater so recently.   
  
"That isn't from your ship, is it?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"Nope." Mihoshi stared at the object as well, studying it intently.  
  
It was a simple object; a large, intact, gun-metal gray metal sphere that was about two and a half meters in diameter. The outer coating lacked the scorch marks that one associated with orbital entry, despite the fact that was obviously how it had arrived there. The surface was somewhat plain, covered only with a series of tiny one inch protrusions of metal identical to that of the sphere, and a single red oval near the top. A simple object, at least from the outside.  
  
But then, sometimes the most dangerous things came in the simplest of packages.  
  
  
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	6. chapter 6

Vacation Days  
Chapter 6  
  
  
A Tenchi Muyo! Fic  
This uses the OVA continuity.   
  
Any and all C+C craved for. You can contact me at:  
sommer@3rdm.net  
  
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Tenchi Muyo! materials   
  
All of my stuff is now stored at:  
http://angcobra.jumpfun.com/dbsommer.html  
  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
Adamantine, even after plummeting through many miles of atmosphere fast enough to glow as brightly as a miniature sun, can still look really shiny after it lands.  
  
Mihoshi liked shiny objects.  
  
That was one of the reasons she enjoyed visiting Washuu's laboratory so often. There were lots of neat, shiny objects there, as well as buttons to push, machines to examine, and, of course, there were the delightful conversations she had with Washuu (when said red-haired scientist was not agitated about something, which seemed to happen a lot of the time.) Mihoshi did realize that sometimes Washuu would accidentally put things at the entryway to the lab that would prevent people from getting in, but Mihoshi was always helpful and removed those things so that others, like Mihoshi, could get in anyway. After all, everyone knew Washuu loved company, and Mihoshi was always eager to help her friends.  
  
And now Mihoshi found herself stranded on a far off planet, in the middle of who knew where, confronted with a bright, shiny object of unknown origin.  
  
Things were looking up for Mihoshi.  
  
On a personal level, Tenchi was fairly ambivalent about bright, shiny objects. However, he became concerned when he saw the eager gleam in Mihoshi's eyes as she approached the large, and very shiny, sphere. "Do you have any idea of what that thing is?"  
  
"Not really." Mihoshi ran her hand delicately over the silver surface of the orb. It was cool to the touch. Any residual heat from what had obviously been an orbital crash had long since dissipated into the air.  
  
Visions of an angry Washuu cursing existence because of Mihoshi's meddling washed over Tenchi. It was time to take preventive measures for possible future problems. "Should you really be fooling around with that if you don't know anything about it?"  
  
"How can we learn anything about it if we don't examine it?" Mihoshi countered.  
  
It was a surprisingly good point on Mihoshi's part. Tenchi wasn't sure if that was a good sign or bad. Life had taught him that it was best not to take unnecessary chances, like trying to see just how hot a flame was by sticking your hand in it, or going into a cave your grandfather told you not to go into, or going off a plotted hyperspace course. Who knew what calamity might strike? No. Taking unnecessary chances was a bad thing, largely because Tenchi knew he would be forced to take necessary chances at some point in his life -probably soon, knowing his luck- and didn't need the added pressure created by unnecessary ones.   
  
Desperate to come up with something that would delay Mihoshi's investigation of the object, Tenchi said, "Why don't we take it back to the ship? Then we can examine it at our leisure." A delaying tactic, nothing more, but it was the best he could come up with on the spur of the moment. It was not that he was inherently fearful; he was just cautious when the situation seemed to demand it. And with the way things had gone on this vacation so far, the less they did, the better.   
  
Mihoshi considered his advice. "Okay. Let's load it onto the anti-grav sled and take it with us."  
  
The duo maneuvered the hoverbike over to the sphere. A pair of rods that made up the majority of the anti-grav sled were extended from the rear of the hoverbike and positioned as close to the bottom of the sphere as possible. The orb was partially embedded into the ground, but Tenchi estimated it to be no more than six inches, assuming the object was a perfect sphere with no odd attachments located at the bottom and buried under the earth. The field generated by the sled should have been sufficient to defy the planet's gravity and pull the sphere from out of the ground, unless the object was over the sled's two ton weight limit. Deciding that nothing ventured meant nothing gained, Mihoshi turned on the power.   
  
For a moment, it appeared that the sphere was not going to move, but in a sudden tearing of dirt and stone, the orb lifted up from its earthen grasp, chunks of ground falling away from it as it was hoisted into the air. It floated in midair between the two rods, which accommodated the wide object by pivoting outward and projecting the field along their length.  
  
With that taken care of, the pair mounted the hoverbike once more. This time Tenchi made certain to walk Mihoshi through the instructions on how to start and pilot the vehicle. As he told his companion, "Riding a high-speed, terror-filled, out-of-control, hoverbike might have been fun, but you have to watch out lest you get too much of a good thing."   
  
Under Tenchi's careful supervision, the two of them set off. The anti-grav sled worked perfectly as they began their trek across the hill and onward with their cargo trailing behind. By necessity, their speed was much slower due to the weight and mass of the sphere they were transporting. It made the handling of the hoverbike's controls much more difficult, though Mihoshi seemed to be able to pilot with the load just fine.  
  
They had been traveling for about five minutes when Mihoshi said, "Tenchi, which direction is the ship in?"  
  
It was only because they were traveling a dozen feet off the ground that kept Tenchi from facefaulting.  
  
  
A quick movement to the left caught Malgaunt's eye. It was Stargrave, who had gone from sitting on a piece of ruined machinery to standing bolt upright, as though something sharp had been driven into his bottom. Malgaunt's own heart quickened a beat as he took note of the concern on Stargrave's face. A closer examination revealed that the object of the pirate's anxiety was the locator that was held in his palm. "What is it? What's happened?"  
  
Stargrave's voice held a hint of dread. "The Shihana is moving."  
  
That was something of a disappointment. Malgaunt considered berating Sa'bre, but thought better of it. Tensions were running high enough as it was. Instead, he chose to appear relaxed as he idly scratched his chin. "Odd. I didn't think Fera would have gotten to it by now, even flying as wildly as she usually does. Why would its moving bother you, anyway?"  
  
Stargrave's hand trembled slightly as he tightened his grip on the locator. "Because it's not moving towards us. It's moving away."  
  
  
Sa'bre Stargrave was not the only one to notice the movement. Flying directly towards the blip indicated on her own locator, Fera realized that the distance between her and the target was closing at a slightly slower pace than before, and she hadn't slowed down. She stopped, hovering over a small patch of yellow grass as she paused a moment to double-check the locator. It was as she had feared. There could be no question now that the Shihana was moving, and Fera doubted it was advancing under its own power.  
  
But that was a good thing, at least to her, for it meant she had received a sign. It was most likely that the Almighty was smiling upon her and was showing the way to her heart's desires. It was just like the tales her people spoke of; Fate was now traveling at her side and guiding her along the Illustrious Path. What was to come was going to be glorious.   
  
  
"I'm sorry I wasn't paying closer attention to where we were going." Mihoshi began bawling again for the second time in less than five minutes.  
  
Tenchi would have covered his ears, save that his previous flight with Mihoshi had convinced him that not holding onto her while they were cruising along on a hoverbike would be a bad thing. "I already told you not to worry about it. We'll figure out where it was... eventually. In the meantime, please stop crying."  
  
There was another whiny sob. "But I should have been paying attention to where I was going."  
  
"You were too busy trying to get the bike back under control."  
  
Among doing other things at the time. Mihoshi remembered her behavior during the ride and blushed, her tears quickly drying up, much to Tenchi's relief. "Okay," Mihoshi said. "I think maybe we were originally pointed with the suns to our left. And since it hasn't been that long since we first took off, maybe if we put them on our right, we'll eventually end up back the way we came."  
  
Having no better plan of his own, Tenchi agreed. Mihoshi adjusted their course slightly and headed more to the north than to the east. At first, Tenchi thought they might have been going in the right direction because the terrain that flowed beneath them became more grass-covered and less rocky. But that soon changed as the grass began to thin out once more and the region became more hilly and rough. After a dozen kilometers or so, tall spires could be seen in the distance. As they drew closer, Tenchi was able to make out what the odd geographical features were.  
  
Long spires of narrow rock protruded from the ground. They were long, slender things of various heights that reached upwards and to the sky. All of them were a wide variety of shades from gray to black, and most of them appeared to be a hundred feet tall, if not higher. Most of them seemed to be somewhat similar in shape, with many of the stone pillars being flat or rounded on the top. They were sharpened, almost as though they were upside down stakes. The effect was very impressive to Tenchi. There was nothing on Earth that could compare to the wonder of the sight. It was like a gigantic forest of stone.   
  
"Have you ever seen anything like this before?" he asked Mihoshi, a hint of awe in his voice.  
  
She shook her head. "Nope. It's kind of pretty, in a way." Mihoshi slowed down and allowed Tenchi to think about the situation for a moment.   
  
Tenchi's hand found its way to his jaw as he began to think. Subconsciously, he changed his posture and appearance so that it became similar to that of his grandfather when the older man was deep in thought. "Well, I know we didn't come through here before. We must have gone in the wrong direction. Let's head east. Maybe we skirted the edge of this, whatever it is, on our way out here."  
  
Mihoshi complied and pointed the nose of the bike away from the forest of stone.  
  
  
The beeps from the locator were coming closer together. They were now coming so fast that Fera no longer bothered to look at the viewscreen of the device. She was almost on top of her prey, and with any luck, the showdown would begin soon. It was going to be a glorious day.  
  
Anyone seeing Fera would have felt their heart quicken as the smile the Katasan wore stretched so far across her face that over three quarters of her sharp teeth were clearly visible. And if that was not enough, anyone that noticed the wild look on her eyes would have become even more unnerved. And if the person that noticed these things was familiar at all with Katasans, they would have headed as far away as they could, since such expressions on the felinoid beings usually meant they were about to do something so incredibly dangerous that the likelihood of death, along with a good bit of collateral damage, was imminent. And that the Katasan was happy about that little fact.  
  
When the beeping became nearly a constant pitch, Fera slowed down and began to visually scan the horizon. It wouldn't do to walk right into a possible trap. She used all of her skills to look for ambush points and spotted several possibilities. She skirted them as widely as she could, laying low behind a row of hillocks and matched speeds with the blip that was continuing to move towards the east. Once her prey had traveled about a kilometer at that rate, Fera chose that moment to burst up and close the remaining distance to gain the element of surprise on her foe.  
  
As Fera broke over the hill, she gunned her engine and charged, not allowing any possible ambushers a chance to get a steady aim on her. After a moment, she saw that there was no need for concern; the area was clear. She immediately spotted her prey, straddling a hoverbike and with someone in the passenger's seat, dragging the Shihana behind it.  
  
A complex mixture of joy and anticipation flooded Fera. She had the drop on the prey, and since her opponent still had her back to her, Fera would have all the time in the world to aim the fixed laser on the front of her vehicle and blast Mihoshi. Of course, simply sneaking up and shooting such a worthy foe in the back while she was carrying a heavy burden that prevented her from dodging would have been a safe, smart, and ultimately dissatisfying resolution to their conflict. No. Another course of action would have to be taken, and as long as Fera had the drop on her, Mihoshi would have no other course but to comply with her demands.  
  
Fera slowed down and aimed for a target in front of her.  
  
  
"Maybe we should go farther north," Mihoshi offered.  
  
"That would take us back into those stones," Tenchi pointed out.   
  
"Oh, right." Mihoshi was still in the process of trying to figure out which way to go, and was coming up with north again, when a laser bolt went several meters past her on the right. Her head jerked in the direction it had gone, then she looked behind her. "Tenchi! What do you think you're doing?!"  
  
Tenchi went from looking in the direction the beam had originated from to staring at Mihoshi in surprise. "That wasn't me! It was that thing on the bike!" He pointed over his shoulder at the rapidly approaching hoverbike.  
  
Mihoshi's eyes widened as well. Her mind began processing the information. There was a Katasan on a hoverbike coming up behind her. It had at least one medium powered laser, judging by the size of the bolt that had been fired at her. Since the Katasan had fired said laser at her, and made no effort to apologize, that meant it was probably not very nice, as well as its behavior being downright illegal. Curiously, it had not fired a second time, although that might have been simply because it was waiting to get closer so it could get a more accurate shot. At the moment, it was positioned directly behind Mihoshi's hoverbike, giving the Katasan an ideal kill position on her. Mihoshi's own bike was too weighted down between Tenchi and the sphere she was carrying to come close to matching the maneuverability of the Katasan.  
  
Oh yes. And her outfit was beginning to ride up her backside, making her feel very uncomfortable. That was very bad too. Mihoshi absolutely hated wedgies.  
  
With all of the pertinent information in, a plan of action was laid out. Taking care of the wedgie would have to wait; she needed to get rid of her extra weight and draw the Katasan away from Tenchi. She hit a button that detached the anti-grav sled from the rear of her bike. Once that fell free, there was only one more thing she needed to get rid of.  
  
"I'll be sure to pick you up later, Tenchi."  
  
"What are you talking abWAOW!" Tenchi found himself pushed off the bike, dropping the ten feet below like a rock and landing on his backside.  
  
As he stood up and reoriented himself, he saw Mihoshi increase the speed of her bike and arc quickly to the left. "What do you think you'rAGH!" Tenchi reflexively ducked as Fera flew directly over him, nearly taking the top of his head off with the undercarriage of her hovercycle. Once he was sure she wasn't going to come around again, he dared to look back up in the sky. He saw that the alien had opened up with her laser on Mihoshi, who was dodging and weaving at incredible speeds that required an unbelievable amount of skill, yet was barely keeping ahead of the blasts. The dogfight drew farther and farther away from his position on the ground.  
  
"Damn it!" Tenchi hammered his fist into the unyielding adamantine of the orb, frustrated that he was helpless once again while his and Mihoshi's lives were in jeopardy. He had the Master Key, and sometimes he could even summon the light hawk wings, but again and again he had been rendered ineffective despite those things. That was going to change. It had to change.  
  
"Be careful, Mihoshi," he said under his breath as both of the duelists' hoverbikes dwindled in size as their aerial duel continued to take them farther away from where Tenchi had been left behind.  
  
  
Another laser blast went right over Mihoshi's head, nearly singeing the top of her hair. She shouted at the top of her lungs, "The penalty for assaulting a Galaxy Police officer is five years in an intergalactic prison!"  
  
Another blast went over her head.  
  
"Attempted murder is another fifteen!"  
  
The next blast went wide to the left.   
  
"And you're speeding too!"  
  
A blast caromed off the rear, nicking part of the carriage but doing no significant damage.  
  
"I don't think you're listening to me!"  
  
Another blast answered her again.   
  
That was enough. The female Katasan (Fera had gotten close enough for Mihoshi to determine her sex) was unappreciative of the laws she was breaking, and in showing that kind of disregard, Mihoshi felt compelled to take drastic measures to stop her.   
  
Another blast nicked off the front of the hoverbike.  
  
Of course, that was assuming Mihoshi first came up with some kind of drastic measure that would bring the offender down and into custody, which was obviously becoming more difficult by the second. For one thing, her opponent had the advantage of being in the rear position, and all of the dodging and weaving Mihoshi had done had failed to bring her closer than fifteen meters to Fera. The Katasan was incredibly skilled, and Mihoshi, well, Mihoshi had taken the required courses and qualified at the academy to pilot hovercycles, but that had been a long while ago, and she had not really driven one since. Certainly never at high speeds like this, except for her final test in qualifying for her hoverbike license. She whimpered slightly as no solutions were coming to her on how to resolve the situation. And the laser blasts were getting closer all the time  
  
  
Fera grinned savagely as she sensed the flight was about to end. Mihoshi had proven herself to be a most skilled pilot. Even with the Katasan having the kill position and what was obviously a superior vehicle, Mihoshi had evaded death for a good five minutes. Surely bringing down the officer was a feat that would be high on the lists for final judgment.  
  
A wetness filled Fera's mouth as she began to salivate, eager to finish the race as she lined Mihoshi up in her sights again. There was no way she could dodge the next series of blasts. No way.  
  
  
Another blast scorched the left side of the bike; a more telling blow this time as it blasted the footrest completely off, as well as taking most of the sole off Mihoshi's boot. Without the support, her leg suddenly slipped downward, throwing the balance off the bike and causing it to lurch towards one side. As the bike twisted to the left, Mihoshi jerked the handlebars that way as well. The violent pull was so sudden that she accidentally dodged the tight three shot burst that Fera had placed at where Mihoshi should have flown to, had she not jerked on the controls so suddenly.   
  
That Mihoshi had evaded certain destruction was a cause for relief. That in doing so she ended up pulling into the forest of tall stone spires at an incredibly dangerous speed was decidedly not a cause for relief. Mihoshi confirmed this as she, with a great deal of difficulty, managed to balance out her bike, then became aware of her surroundings just in time to pull to the right and miss the twelve foot wide pillar of stone that she nearly crashed into at a speed in excess of two hundred kilometers an hour.  
  
Fera paused for only the briefest of moments as she witnessed Mihoshi commit to a course that was almost certain suicide unless she slowed down. The pillars of stone that would have seemed far away to someone on the ground were too close together when one was flying among them at the speeds Mihoshi was going, and smashing into one would be certain death. Continuing to dodge laser blasts had a much higher chance of survival. Only a desperate fool would risk their lives in such a careless manner.   
  
Fera's grin increased as she followed Mihoshi into the stone forest and continued her pursuit.  
  
  
Mihoshi was screaming wildly as, more by reflex than by design, she wove back and forth, darting in and out of the rocky protrusions and trying to keep from ending up crashing into some huge pillar of stone. She would have escaped the forest of rock and taken her chances with Fera continuing to blast at her, really. But by the time she had realized exactly where she was, Mihoshi had completely lost her bearings and had no idea on how to exit the forest. At the moment, the spacing between the pillars was enough that she could react to them in time and keep from ending up splattered across the landscape, but to her it seemed to get harder to dodge as she continued to fly. She chose to go to the left, while keeping from impacting with the shafts that seemed to be getting closer to each other by the moment.  
  
  
It had taken Fera a full minute to catch up to Mihoshi. The course the blonde was using in order to get through the stone obstacle course was difficult and arduous, pressing Fera and taking her skills to the limit. Truly the human had the soul of a Katasan somewhere in her. That could be the only explanation for the daring and talents she was displaying in her flight for freedom. Mihoshi was magnificence personified, but as with all good chases, the end had to come. As Fera followed the increasingly difficult path Mihoshi was taking, she targeted her laser on the prey once more. Fera was certain she had the back of Mihoshi's bike right in her sights...  
  
And then Mihoshi jagged hard to the left and headed in that direction.   
  
"She's unbelievable," Fera said with admiration under her breath. Even from where she was, Fera could see that the towers of stone were three times as thick towards that direction. At least Mihoshi was going to have to slow down to keep from plowing into one of the rocks. That would give Fera a better chance to get a clear shot off, at least.  
  
However, much to Fera's surprise, Mihoshi's speed did not slacken at all. Instead it remained the same, despite the increasing number of obstacles before both the officer and the Katasan. She was insane. Even most Katasans would not be crazy enough to try piloting through an obstacle course at those kinds of speeds. They would at least slow down so that they stood at least a chance, no matter how slim, of survival.  
  
Of course, Fera prided herself on being superior to most of her race. She focused her concentration and tried to follow, laser blazing. They were committed on their course of action now. Only one of them would leave the towers of stone alive. If that.  
  
  
"Why can't I remember which one's the speed control?!" Mihoshi wailed as she sailed under a half-fallen stone that lay horizontally across her path. She flew close enough to it that she felt the stone brush against her hair. That had been far too close.  
  
It was terrible. Mihoshi had had no idea that the pillars would be so much thicker in this direction, and she would surely have slowed down to keep from running into one and ruining her bike. And herself too, for that matter. But if she couldn't figure out how to slow down, she knew for certain she was going to die.   
  
It wasn't fair. There were still so many things she had wanted to do. Like become a Galaxy Police officer. No. Wait. She had become one. Well, she wanted to see the brilliant displays of auroras around Praxian Took during its winter solstice. No. Wait. She had done that last year. There was that exotic Yourgina delicacy, Phlegm Bistrol, that she had always wanted to try, since it was supposed to be one of the best tasting foods in the galaxy. No. She had done that on the day she had graduated from the Academy.   
  
"Say, I've led a pretty fulfilling life," Mihoshi said to herself as she crossed between two pillars that had only six meters of distance between them.  
  
Her mind wandered slightly. What was the one thing she hadn't done that she really wanted to do? There had to be something. Her mind raced almost as quickly as the laser blasts that began to lash around her once again. What was it she wanted to do? It was almost on the tip of her tongue.  
  
Vacation with Tenchi. That was it. She wanted to go on vacation with Tenchi a whole, whole lot. But now she was going to die here and never get the chance. Oh, what woe and misery. Life was just too cruel sometimes.   
  
With that taken care of, Mihoshi went back to panicking and trying to keep herself from wrecking.   
  
A laser blast struck a nearby black stone pillar, darker than the others, shattering it and sending shards of rock at Mihoshi. A sharp one cut across the top of her scalp, opening a cut and sending a trickle of blood into her eye. She took her hand off the handlebar for a split second and wiped her forehead clean. It was only a matter of time before either a laser blast or stone claimed her life. The forest of rock appeared to be without an end, and the Katasan's blasts were getting progressively closer. And at the speed Mihoshi was going at, well, even her luck was bound to run out. If only she could pilot the hoverbike better, but her level of skill at it had never been that great.   
  
Now, if instead of a real life hoverbike it had been that cool video game she had been playing last month, 'Ridiculously Suicidal Crash Racer II: Hyper Edition,' that would have been fun, as well as easier. In it, you had to keep from getting blasted by people shooting at you from behind while navigating through a series of obstacle courses, which was sort of like what she was doing now. And she had been really good at it too. She had beaten the game at its highest setting within a couple of day's time, which had made Ryouko really angry since she had been playing it for a month and still hadn't come close to beating the game. When Ryouko had tried playing Mihoshi head to head, she ended up getting very angry and destroyed the game unit, which had made Mihoshi really sad. Every time Ryouko lost, Mihoshi had kept reassuring her that she was certain the pirate would get better at it and win. After all, how many people could lose one hundred and twenty six consecutive times and never come close to winning? Ryouko would probably have won the next game if she hadn't destroyed the unit.   
  
Too bad flying the hoverbike through the forest of stone couldn't have been as much fun. True, there was a level on the game that was similar to this one; the game even had a playing control set up similar to her own hoverbike. Actually, except for the fact that Mihoshi remembered where the speed control on the game was, they were practically identical. And flying and avoiding obstacles and laser blasts in the game was easy. Why, all one needed to do in the game to avoid a rocky outcropping with a huge pillar lying across it on the left, like the one that she was approaching, was to cut really hard to the right while weaving in-between the two to keep from being splattered everywhere. To prove her point, Mihoshi did exactly that, just as if she were playing the game. It was easy to navigate, and she mentally tallied a score of five thousand for the difficulty of the maneuver.  
  
It really was a shame real life wasn't like a video game.  
  
  
Fera gaped in open astonishment as Mihoshi did an unbelievably difficult maneuver between a rocky outcropping and a huge pillar lying across the left. When Fera tried the same thing, she came so close to the pillar that it nicked her ear. It was impossible! How could a mere human learn to fly with such skill and at such speeds? And even more impossible was that Mihoshi's aerial skills had seemed to improve a three-fold for no apparent reason.  
  
But as vexing as it was to Fera, still she felt her blood begin to sing in response to the race. This was life in its purest form. Two opponents racing with death right behind them, nipping at their heels as it waited for someone to miss that crucial turn or go up instead of down and end up broken across the land. It was what all Katasans were born for, and what they all ultimately craved.   
  
And suddenly, without explanation, a peace settled over Fera. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced in her entire life. It was such a shock that it nearly caused her to wreck. The craving for speed, for taking chances, for the rush of adrenaline as she risked her life, was no longer there. It simply vanished. Instead, it had been replaced by a placid calmness that, much to her amazement, she found she liked. Her mind and body became one: a perfect synthesis between thought and motion. Her movements flowed effortlessly from one to the next as she continued to trail behind Mihoshi. It took her a moment to recall that she had heard of this sensation spoken in soft whispers in the stories of her people. It was the perfection of speed; she had become one with herself. At that moment, she was the very best that she could possibly be and to feel anything less would leave a void in her soul that would forever plague her thoughts until she could feel that wholeness once more.  
  
It was time for the race to end, for one competitor or the other.  
  
There was no one to witness the duel being raised to another level. Engines roared louder and echoed over the landscape as the two vehicles raced through the ever increasing number of spires. A greater number of the tall stones had fallen over, making the course even more difficult, but neither rider acknowledged the change as they maintained their blinding speeds and continued darting in-between the obstacles in their paths, the slightest misstep meaning death.  
  
For how long the race continued, neither would ever be able to say. Both Fera and Mihoshi were too lost in their own thoughts to take heed of time. But, as with all things, the inevitable happened. The end of the race arrived in the form of a series of three pillars, ten meters at the most separating one from the others. Mihoshi recognized it as being very similar to the fourth from last obstacle in the final level of the game. She wove in and out of all three, her bike nearly throwing her as she went in at a sharp angle and bounced slightly off the side of the last pillar. Sparks flew as the bike rebounded from the impact, but Mihoshi regained control in time to avoid a fourth rocky protrusion that was just beyond the final pillar.   
  
Fera attempted the same turn, but struck the final pillar, not hitting it at the slight angle Mihoshi had. Rather than deflecting off the rock, she hit much harder, her hoverbike still very much out of control as it headed towards the rocky protrusion that Mihoshi had just missed. In spite of being out of control, Fera almost made it over the top of the slate gray rock, but the lower third of the bike caught the edge of the obstruction and struck hard. As the laws of inertia dictated, Fera continued onward as she was ripped off the bike and went flying over the rock and over to the ground beyond it.  
  
As Fera's body went sailing through the air, there was a moment of epiphany as she at last understood what that feeling of joining between mind and body, the peace that had settled over her, had been; it was the hand of the Great Maker allowing her a brief taste of what paradise would be like. And now she also understood that she was going to know that feeling forever as her body went skidding across the uneven rocky surface at just under a hundred kilometers an hour.   
  
  
Mihoshi was still lamenting about how much easier it would have been to travel through the stone forest if it were a video game, and mentally tallied her score at two hundred and fifty seven thousand, when the sound of a small explosion from behind caught her attention. She took her eyes off her path for the briefest of moments and just caught the small plume of smoke that began to rise up in the air from somewhere behind her. Once Mihoshi realized she was no longer being pursued (the lack of laser blasts was the giveaway), she figured out what had happened and began a circuitous route to circle back around.  
  
As Mihoshi approached the smoke, she finally remembered how to stop the hoverbike again. She waited until she drew near enough to spot a sprawled out form, lying on the ground, near the fire, before she hit the emergency brake and flipped the switch all the way to the down position.  
  
And once again dropped like a rock into the ground.  
  
"Ouch," Mihoshi moaned as she got up off the bike, rubbing her sore behind. Cut the power off slowly, she reminded herself. Next time she would remember for sure. But now she had other more important things to do. She was in unknown territory, far from any back up, and had been shot at by at least one individual. Who knew how many others might be right behind her? The situation was tense. The situation was dangerous. The situation called for one clear course of action.  
  
Mihoshi picked the wedgie out of her bottom.  
  
"Ah," Mihoshi sighed. That was much better. It had ridden up even higher during the course of her flight and had been driving her crazy.   
  
Once that had been taken care of, she went back to her other duties. She drew her sidearm and approached the sprawled out figure of Fera, who remained motionless on the ground. As Mihoshi drew near, she managed to get a good look at Fera and cringed at the sight. She lowered her pistol. She wasn't going to be arresting the Katasan. With the numerous and grievous injuries the furry alien had received when she had skidded across the merciless, rocky ground, she would be lucky if she survived for five more minutes.   
  
The image of Fera's dying form burned into Mihoshi's mind. It had not been the first time she had to deal with death in the line of duty. It had not been the first time she had watched someone die slowly. But dealing with it never got any easier. Never.  
  
Fera looked up through the pain and saw Mihoshi standing over her. In spite of the overwhelming agony that shot through her form, she managed to smile, though with her muzzle covered in blood it looked more like a grimace of agony.  
  
"I'm sorry," Mihoshi said, emotion filling her voice. "But you were trying to kill me. It was my duty to resist and try to arrest you."  
  
An apology? That was a surprise. "No need," Fera rasped out, the tang of blood filling her mouth and dribbling out the side. "Could not... ask for better death. Make... life worth living. Touch.... paradise. Want to go there... now. Will now, thanks to... you. Have given me... gift... greatest gift. I give one in... return."  
  
That seemed really strange to Mihoshi. No one that was in the process of dying after having tried to kill her had ever offered her a gift. "What is it?"   
  
It took Fera a moment to summon enough strength to answer. The end was near; she could feel the dark tendrils of the forever night threaten to claim her, but she felt honor bound to assist the one who had helped give her the perfect ending to her life. "You've been betrayed. Three... officers of your GP. Onita..." It was getting harder to breathe. She coughed up some blood, and took even longer to say the second name. "Funuyaki." She felt her strength threaten to leave her, it was getting dark and was nearly impossible to speak. It was just too...  
  
Mihoshi watched as Fera gave out a powerful rasp, and her chest stopped moving. That always seemed to happen to her. A suspect she was investigating would be fatally shot and dying slowly. She would get to their side and ask what had happened. They would be about to give her some crucial bit of knowledge, and then they died right before giving her the most important part of the information.  
  
But this time was slightly different. The Katasan had managed to not only tell her that there were three officers, but actually had given out two of the names. Funuyaki she was not familiar with. However, she did know two different Onitas on the force. She had worked with one of them a couple of years back on an undercover assignment. Could he have been the one? And who was the third traitor?  
  
Mihoshi half turned away from Fera; the idea that the Katasan might have been lying never crossing her mind. She tried to consider the full ramifications of a betrayal in the Galaxy Police. As with all organizations the size of the Galaxy Police, there was some corruption in the ranks, though it was thankfully small due to good training and internal security. If it was just limited to three officers, that wouldn't be so bad. And the officers that Fera had accused were not that high up in the organization, or Mihoshi would have recognized them for sure. But that still left the problem of who the third one was. Oh well, she was probably worrying unnecessarily. How high up could the third one be?  
  
"Mal...gaunt," Fera's voice drifted through the air,   
  
Mihoshi was just barely able to make it out, but it was enough. Her reaction was instantaneous, and she was at Fera's side in a heartbeat. "Did you say Malgaunt? As in Marshal Malgaunt?"  
  
Fera's unblinking gaze was the only answer she still held for Mihoshi. This time the Galaxy Police officer made certain the felinoid was dead, rather than assuming it as she had before. Unfortunately, as she had feared, this time it was final. And Mihoshi made very certain of it. Perhaps waiting until rigor mortis set in was a bit too cautious, but she didn't want to take any chances. After all, some alien races, like the Hedghogans, could play dead for hours if they felt so inclined. Nothing but the most rigorous of medical scans would show that they were actually alive. Curiously, they had a high rate of employment at insurance companies, mostly in the claims departments.  
  
Once convinced Fera was truly gone, Mihoshi started up her hovercycle. It gave a groan of protest, slowly raised itself off the ground, than began sputtering as it began its flight back to Tenchi.  
  
  
One sun had set and the second was beginning to make its way towards the horizon and still Mihoshi had not returned. Tenchi grew increasingly concerned about her absence by the second. Something must have happened to her. Part of him feared that the furry alien woman had somehow managed to hurt her, but the fact that the enemy creature had not returned implied something might have happened to it as well.   
  
A thousand different possible scenarios of doom ran through his mind. Whenever he had encountered a problem in the past, some terribly dangerous foe, there had always been someone else there to help give support. But this time he was alone. Ryouko, Aeka, Washuu, even Ryo-Ohki, none could help him now. It was all up to him to save the day, only he wasn't sure how to go about it this time. Mihoshi had sped out of sight within seconds. There was no way he could catch up to her on foot. Worse, if he left the big metal orb, there was a good chance that once Mihoshi returned, she wouldn't be able to find him if he wandered off. Remaining where he was would be the only way she could find him once again.  
  
But he didn't have to like it.  
  
About the only thing Tenchi had going for him was that the voice in his head had quieted down. Actually, that little bit of disorientation he had felt since the crash had seemed to have disappeared as well. He had probably had a concussion. That was where the voice had come from. It was just the effect from having his head rammed into hard objects several times over a very brief period of time. And now that he had recovered, he wouldn't have to hear it ever again.  
  
As Tenchi rose to his feet, he tripped over a rock and landed face first into the unyielding ground.  
  
[Yeah, right. Like you'll ever be rid of me.]  
  
Tenchi's sobbing was all that broke the silence of the land.  
  
Once he was over the brief period of sorrow, Tenchi forced himself to relax. The voice would go away in time, just as soon as he got some medical treatment for his head. In the meantime, since he was stuck there alone, he would put his time to good to use and examine the metal object again. And once Mihoshi got back (and she would be coming back any minute now), he could tell her what he had discovered, and she would be able to identify the object at last.  
  
The more Tenchi thought about it, the more it seemed to him that the sphere was something very important, and perhaps what the furry woman had really been after. Anything that was made durable enough to withstand orbital reentry without a mark on it had to contain something valuable. The only two possible ships it could have belonged to were either that big one or that one full of criminals that Yukinojo had identified right before the shooting had begun. In any case, they had to keep it out of anyone else's hands until the authorities arrived and they could deal with the matter.  
  
Tenchi was still in the process of examining the large metal ball, discovering nothing important about it, when he heard the spluttering of an engine. He looked in the direction the noise came from and beheld a sight that made his heart jump into his throat.   
  
"Mihoshi!" Tenchi waved wildly back and forth at the approaching hoverbike, making certain she saw him. He watched as she waved back, almost losing her grip on the bike and falling off. After she awkwardly regained her balance, nearly wrecking the bike in the process, she continued towards him. Soon she was close enough that Tenchi could make out the smile that was plastered on her features.  
  
A wave of calm settled over him. Mihoshi was all right, thankfully. He doubted that even she had the ability to be so exuberant if she had been wounded. Her bike looked like it had been shot up and then rammed into something at top speed, but that was nothing. As long as Mihoshi was okay, that was all that really mattered. At last he was able to calm down for the first time since she had left, and was surprised by the depths of emotions he had felt about her safe return.  
  
Mihoshi was hovering no more than twenty feet away from him when she slowed down. Tenchi hoped she would remember to turn the power off switch-  
  
*WHAM*  
  
-slowly.  
  
Once the stars stopped floating around Mihoshi's head, she realized her mistake and chided herself. But that couldn't bring her down. At last she was reunited with Tenchi, and she wanted to ask his opinion on some of the things she had learned from Fera. She got up off the bike, handlebars in hand, and headed towards Tenchi. He always had good ideas. He'd be able figure out what they should do concerning traitors in the Gal...  
  
Handlebars in hand?  
  
Mihoshi looked down at the part of the hoverbike that was currently residing in her hands. A part that was not supposed to be detachable. Panicked, she rushed back to the bike and tried pushing the handlebars back into the slot that they belonged. They fit back in and seemed to be secure. She twisted them back and forth a few times just to be sure. Again, they held in place.  
  
"Wow!" She wiped a hand across her brow to remove the sweat that had formed there. That had been close.  
  
And then the front end of the hoverbike detached itself from the rest of the body, falling to the ground with a thud.  
  
It took Tenchi nearly five minutes to calm Mihoshi down. He assured her repeatedly that it had not been her fault that their only mode of transportation had broken down and that they were now stranded in the middle of nowhere. Eventually she seemed to accept that, and calmed down enough to tell him what she had learned.  
  
Tenchi was uncertain what to make of the information. His gut told him it was probably the truth; there didn't seem to be any reason as to why the alien would have lied about that sort of thing since it could be disproven easily enough. If there were traitors in the Galaxy Police, that also meant that any rescues from them would have to be suspect. It was hardly impossible to consider that there might even have been more than just those three involved in whatever conspiracy had taken place. At least they knew the names of the three traitors and could contact the proper authorities as to their actions.  
  
There was something else to consider as well. Tenchi had his doubts about the Katasan coming alone. If it had, why had it not threatened them in the ship she had come in instead of running them down from a hoverbike? Most likely she had friends, and, given time, they would probably show up before too long. Realistically, they needed to leave the area as soon as possible.  
  
Aside from those considerations, one very important fact was clear to him. "We need to keep whatever that thing is out of their hands." He pointed at the adamantine container. "I just don't know how we're going to protect it, though. I mean, we're stationary and out in the open. I also don't see a lot of things that look like we could eat, and you don't have more than a couple of days rations on you. Too bad it's too big to move."  
  
Mihoshi held up her hand and made "Oh, oh," sounds.  
  
Tenchi allowed a soft sigh to escape his lips. "Mihoshi, you can just say what's on your mind. This isn't a classroom, and I'm not Washuu."  
  
"Right," Mihoshi answered. "I might be able to slave the hoverbike's powercore to the antigrav web. That way we could move the big shiny orb and take it with us."  
  
It sounded better than standing still. Tenchi helped Mihoshi remove the core and hook it up to the sled. It took a great deal of hammering with the small tool kit from the hoverbike, but eventually they managed to create a makeshift rig to support the core and the sled. It was not very aesthetically appealing, but it functioned properly, and considering the way their luck had been going, that was more than satisfactory.  
  
By the time they had finished, night had fallen. Part of Tenchi wanted to put some distance from where they were now, but realistically it was too late to try to set off in any direction, and both of them felt exhausted from their ordeal. In less than twenty four hours they had been shot down, crash-landed on an uninhabited world, lost their ship, had gone on a wild ride over the planet's surface, were now completely lost, and had been shot at by a large cat on a fast bike. Even by Tenchi's standards, it had been a trying day.  
  
They set up a small camp, bereft of fire and with only a small flashlight to provide any illumination for them. They ate a small meal of rations that had been stored with the bike. Mihoshi complained the entire time of how flat and awful the freeze-dried meals were and lamented that Sasami wasn't there to cook for them. Tenchi was forced at agree with her about both the rations and their tastelessness. But it was better than nothing.  
  
Shortly after the second sun had fallen, the temperature dropped quickly. By Tenchi's estimation, it fell nearly twenty degrees in the first two hours, turning a pleasant day into a cold night. He was left shivering and silently cursing that they could not build a fire because it might draw attention to them. Well, that and the fact they had nothing to burn.  
  
Tenchi did notice that Mihoshi was not reacting to the chill in the air, despite her very tight outfit. "How come you're not cold?"  
  
Mihoshi stared at him in confusion. It took a moment for her to figure out what he meant. "Oh, all first class detective uniforms are insulated with very resilient materials. They can keep an officer warm in temperatures down to well below zero Celsius. With an independent air supply, and some form of airtight headgear, my outfit would allow me to survive in outer space for up to an hour."  
  
Tenchi shivered some more. "I don't suppose you have a spare."  
  
After a moment of thought, Mihoshi said, "No. Are you cold?"  
  
What, just because he was shivering and his teeth were chattering? "Yes."  
  
Mihoshi considered what to do. "Well, the temperature really doesn't bother me. Nights on Mensa tend-"  
  
"Mensa?" Tenchi interrupted.  
  
"My homeworld," Mihoshi explained. "Anyway, nights there tend to be a bit colder than this, so I'm used to it. I know what I can do. I'll let you wear my uniform." Mihoshi began to undo the front of her outfit, lowering the zipper enough to allow Tenchi to see all too much of the great valley between her bosoms, as well as part of the bosoms themselves.  
  
"AH! Stop!" Tenchi held his hands out in a warding gesture. "Keep your clothes on!"  
  
The zipper stopped halfway down. "But I thought you were cold."  
  
[Not anymore, he ain't]  
  
Tenchi ignored the comment. He had to come up with something. "Ah, well, it's a woman's outfit, and I don't crossdress."  
  
Mihoshi giggled. "You're right. You wouldn't look very good in women's clothing." She zipped the uniform back up. After another brief giggle, she said. "Well, we could share body warmth then. That should help you stay a little warm."  
  
"Share.... body.... warmth?" Tenchi felt even less cold now. Downright warm, in fact.  
  
Mihoshi laid down on the ground, next to the bike. "Sure. It's one of the basics taught to us in survival courses. It's no big deal. I had to do it a couple of times with Kiyone. Like when we were stranded on one of the moons around Polgar 9. And another time when we were on a stakeout on Hoth and I forgot to bring along the heater. I could have sworn I packed it too, but it wasn't there. Kiyone wasn't real happy about that, but she always seemed a little temperamental to me. I didn't care though. She was a great partner. I still miss her sometimes." Mihoshi sighed. "Anyway, why don't you lay down next to me, so you can get warm?" She patted the ground next to her and gave a smile bereft of any duplicity.  
  
Tenchi gave a weak smile in return. He was cold. And they were both clothed. And it wasn't like he would be lying down with Ryouko or anything. He should be safe.  
  
[She'd sure be able to keep you warm.]  
  
Tenchi gritted his teeth. He would not shout out loud at the voice, as was his instinct. Instead, he whispered under his breath. "Would you be quiet?"  
  
[I won't complain if there's nothing to complain about, get it?]  
  
That was pretty clear, and since he wanted to get a good night's sleep, and it was cold, and he hated the voice, and Mihoshi was a perfectly safe person to sleep with, in a non-sexual way. He would do it.   
  
Tenchi laid down next to Mihoshi, eliciting a little squeal of delight from her. For the briefest of moments he began to reconsider, but then relaxed. He just had to quit being so uptight around the girls; all it was doing was making him tense and miserable. So he relaxed as much as he could on the hard ground, his back snuggled up to Mihoshi's back, since there was no way in hell he was going to face her as they lay down together. Mihoshi seemed content with the situation and fell into a deep, snoring slumber within a couple of minutes. Tenchi was so exhausted that he followed a minute later, despite Mihoshi's clamor.  
  
  
Sa'bre Stargrave sat, brooding in the darkness of the ruins of his bridge. He sat in silence, as unmoving as the red point of light on the locator that lay in his open palm. His only companion was a shadow that remained behind him, one that was as unmoving as himself, though as shadows went, it was infinitely more useful than the one Sa'bre had been born with.  
  
Night had fallen, and still the Shihana had remained as motionless as Sa'bre Stargrave. Fera had left hours ago and had responded to none of the communications that had been sent to her. The only thing that now reigned on the shattered remains of the bridge of the Rack N'Ruin was silence.  
  
For how long it remained that way, Sa'bre could not say. But when enough time had passed, he accepted Fate, and for one, brief moment, seized control of his bridge again.  
  
To the shadow, he said in a soft voice, "Tell the others we move out at first light. We're going to recover the Shihana ourselves."  
  
Without a word, Ariana moved from her position behind Stargrave and departed through the hole on the bridge.  
  
And silence reigned supreme once again.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. chapter 7

Ryo-Ohki dipped low over the greenish-colored waters as she flew toward the towers in the distance. The buildings grew larger as she approached the tourist area that Ryouko had directed her towards. When she was less than three kilometers away, she slowed down and approached at a far more cautious speed.  
  
"Are you certain they're here?" Aeka asked as she observed the town become more distinct on the external monitors.  
  
"Well, we have on our hands a popular seaside tourist planet with a population of fifty million that has either mysteriously lost the ability, or is simply refusing, to communicate with us. There hasn't been a launch from the planet's surface since we've arrived in-system. And I can't pick up a single transmission, not even a radio station, anywhere on this entire giant swimming pool. Now what do you think the odds are Mihoshi has been here?" Ryouko crossed her arms as she waited for Aeka's inevitable answer.  
  
"It does make sense," Aeka admitted a bit reluctantly. Something was bothering her about the situation. Even Mihoshi, walking disaster that she tended to be, would have been hard pressed to knock out an entire planet's ability to communicate. And how could she have disabled all of the spaceports too? It just didn't seem possible. "But perhaps we should consider an alternate explanation."   
  
"Yeah, right," Ryouko snorted derisively. "Like what? A giant undersea monster awakened from its ancient slumber and grabbed the entire population of the planet?" Ryouko made a 'monstrous' sound and wriggled her fingers in Aeka's direction. "That sounds like the plot to some cheesy late night movie."  
  
As Ryouko finished her declaration, gigantic tentacles hundreds of feet long and dozens of feet across shot out of the water and wrapped themselves around Ryo-Ohki, halting her in mid-flight.  
  
"I hate you," Aeka said calmly to Ryouko right before Ryo-Ohki was dragged into the icy depths of the ocean below.  
  
  
Vacation Days   
Chapter 7  
  
  
A Tenchi Muyo! Fic  
This uses the OVA continuity.   
  
Any and all C+C craved for. You can contact me at:  
sommer@3rdm.net  
  
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Tenchi Muyo! materials   
  
All of my stuff is now stored at:  
http://angcobra.jumpfun.com/dbsommer.html  
  
xxxxxxxxxxx  
  
  
'First light' for the remaining crew of the Rack N'Ruin and their Galaxy Police partners turned out to be a couple of hours after light actually first struck. Malgaunt had insisted, and eventually won the argument, that in order to recover the Shihana they were going to have to be prepared for any eventuality. That meant making the time to take everything they could possibly need in order to ensure that things ran smoothly later. So, once again, the crew went through the inventory of what they had salvaged, then thoroughly re-examined the ruins of the ship one more time.  
  
A handful of additional items were recovered on their second inspection. Onita found and claimed a high-powered plasma rifle, and Funuyaki dug out some waterproof cloaks to help keep them dry in case of rain. A handful of other small, useful items were discovered by the others as well.  
  
It was as Onita and Ariana searched the remains of the rear of the ship -after the Galaxy Police officer had pulled aside some heavy pieces of what were once armored plates from a heavily reinforced room- that he spotted a shiny turquoise block that was fifteen feet long and ten feet across. Unlike most of the other remains of the ship, it was intact and without even a scratch upon it.  
  
"Neratron," Onita said under his breath. It was an incredibly resilient substance that could transform directly from gas to solid. Among other things, it was frequently used as a cheap alternative to contain prisoners, its unique molecular structure putting them in a form of basic suspended animation. Its advantages were that it cut down on the amount of space required to keep prisoners and one did not have to worry about feeding and maintaining them. On the downside, the suspended animation was not always one hundred percent effective and occasionally the prisoners died while entombed in the substance. That complication failed to stop some less scrupulous individuals and governments from using it anyway.  
  
"Oh, I forgot he was still in the brig," Ariana said from her position several feet behind the large man.  
  
"Who's in it?"  
  
A tiny smile formed on Ariana's lips, one she concealed from Onita. "Our puppy."  
  
Onita stared at her blankly for a moment. "You have a puppy locked up in Neratron? What did he do, chew on Stargrave's slippers?"  
  
Ariana ignored the slight against her captain and continued smiling. "Just release him from the Neratron, and you'll see for yourself."  
  
Onita shrugged and began looking for a cylinder of Preztnast, the chemical used to revert Neratron to its gaseous state. Usually it was inserted directly into the Neratron via an air-powered injector. Within moments, he found the case that held the long silver cylinders. There was a huge hole in the side from a fragment of flooring that had been ripped upwards and punctured the gunmetal gray case. Over half of the injectors had been destroyed, but all it required was one to initiate the chemical change. He extracted a working cylinder, double-checked it to make sure it was in working order, then plunged the end into the turquoise substance.  
  
For a single moment nothing happened, then the Preztnast begin to take effect as the surface of the block where Onita had injected it began to bubble. It bubbled slowly at first, but it quickly picked up speed as the material became black mist that drifted away in the slow passage of air that traveled through the many holes that now dotted the surface of the ship.   
  
A hole formed where the Preztnast had first been injected into block. As it grew deeper and wider, ever expanding, Onita saw the first hint of what was actually inside the Neratron. A furry hand with nearly inch long claws and strong muscled lines along the fingers and wrist was exposed in the retreating mists. More was continuously revealed; the fur was orange colored, and a powerful arm was revealed as well. Soon a face that was pointed outward somewhat, free of fur save around the sides and bottom of the jaw became visible. A flat nose and closed eyes, deeply inset in the face, also became clear. Onita was able to identify what race the 'puppy' belonged to.  
  
"A Sasquish." It was an odd being to be among the group of pirates. In general, they were a race that tended to be well-respected throughout the galaxy. They were most famous for being very talented negotiators, with sharp minds and quick wits. That they also tended to stand between seven and ten feet tall, bore very sharp teeth and sharper claws, and weighed in around five hundred to seven hundred pounds of solid muscle that could break most other sentient races in half without halfway-trying did not hurt in most of their negotiations either. Onita had never met one himself, but Sasquish were usually spoken of in terms of great respect.  
  
The last of the Neratron changed into mist, allowing the Sasquish to be released from its prison. Onita watched closely, for if anyone suspended in the substance did not open its eyes within the first thirty seconds of being freed, it usually never opened them at all. Within seconds after it was freed, the Sasquish's eyes fluttered open as it reoriented itself to the world it had been awakened to. Onita noticed that the creature appeared male, given its lack of clothing and Onita's own basic knowledge of Sasquish anatomy not being all that different from many other males of various species, his own included.   
  
He continued watching closely as the Sasquish slowly rose to his feet. Once Onita was sure he could stand on his own, he turned to Ariana. "That's some puppy."  
  
The next thing Onita was aware of was being hoisted into the air as though he were a small child and the Sasquish a large parent. A very large and somewhat homicidal parent, as he found himself being suspended in mid-air by the throat and unable to breathe. Onita was a powerful man, very powerful, but he was helpless in the grasp of the far stronger Sasquish. His blows had no effect, mostly due to the thick hide of the alien.  
  
"My name is Pupei! Not 'puppy'!" The Sasquish uttered in a growl through gritted teeth. He roared once into Onita's face, the fetid breath from being entombed in Neratron sent a wave of nausea through the Galaxy Police officer as his vision began to grow black.   
  
Ariana watched the scene with amusement. "Oh, I forgot to tell you: Pupei is something of an outcast among his race. It has to do with a chemical imbalance in his brain that can't be corrected. It makes his temper somewhat volatile, especially when compared to others of his species. On the other hand, he's even stronger than most Sasquish and can bench press well over a ton under standard gravity conditions. But I see you've already discovered that on your own. Nice detective work."  
  
Darkness began to claim Onita. His hand fumbled for his side arm, only to have it fall to the ground when his fingers failed to properly latch onto the weapon. His thought processes were so jumbled he wasn't sure if he could have aimed it properly anyway. Besides, he also was uncertain who he would have shot first: Pupei for strangling him or Ariana for setting him up and laughing about it.  
  
"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!" A voice boomed from the doorway.  
  
Ariana's amusement turned to chastisement as she saw Stargrave standing in the ruins of the doorway to the ship's brig. "It's... ah..."  
  
"Save it!" He said over her stammered excuse. He moved quickly, yet gracefully, towards Pupei's side. The Sasquish' grip remained firm as Onita's eyes rolled into the back of his head and his struggling became a shadow of what it once was. "Release him."   
  
The order was firm and commanding, yet Pupei did nothing. "He called me a puppy! I hate that!"  
  
This time Stargrave's voice dropped lower, yet continued to carry its same commanding tone. "I gave you an order. Now release him."  
  
Pupei turned, and bared his teeth at Stargrave. Sa'bre failed to even blink at the implied threat while Ariana's sidearm was in her hand in an instant as she tried to get a clear shot at Pupei's head.   
  
"If you refuse my order again, I'll finish what I started the last time you defied me."  
  
The effect was instantaneous as Pupei released Onita. The Galaxy Police officer dropped to the ground hard and was gasping desperately for air as he slumped prone on the ground. Pupei gave one last low growl towards the captain, but backed away. His hand subconsciously fingered a long, jagged scar that ran diagonally across his chest from the top of the left pectoral to the right end of his stomach.   
  
Stargrave made no motion to help the slowly recovering officer. Instead, he waved his hand towards Ariana and Pupei, indicating they should follow. Without bothering to glance in Onita's direction, Sa'bre called over his shoulder, "When you can walk again, meet us outside the bridge. We're almost ready to go." The trio left without another word.  
  
  
Malgaunt scowled in the direction of Stargrave and his two returning companions. "Where's Onita, and who's the rather big fellow?" He directed the questions towards the captain.  
  
"The Sasquish's name is Pupei. He survived the crash by being frozen in a block of Neratron. He's going to be very useful to us. As to your man, Lieutenant Onita, Pupei had a disagreement with him over the pronunciation of his name. Your man suffered no permanent injury and should be rejoining us shortly." Stargrave gave a non-committal shrug and looked over the supplies. He began mentally inventorying what they should take and what was going to have to be left behind.   
  
The mental tally was interrupted as Malgaunt warned, "We're in this together, Sa'bre. We can't afford to have infighting among our people. Mine will keep in line. You had better keep a tighter rein on yours."  
  
"On the few of them that are left, anyway," Funuyaki added from her position off to the side of the gathering, where she was keeping as much to herself as she could.   
  
That comment earned her a glare from Stargrave that would not only have struck her dead, but reduced her to ashes as well if it could. That look was followed on its heels by an equally lethal-looking stare from Ariana. It took a great deal of effort on Funuyaki's part to refrain from commenting to Ariana about how some dogs took after their masters a little too well.   
  
After another tension filled moment -in which Funuyaki felt a curious, prickly sensation from the back of her neck- Stargrave relaxed and gave her a smile that radiated even more lethality than the glare had. This time Ariana did not bother matching Stargrave's outward change (not that Funuyaki thought she could match it) as both she and Stargrave turned away from the officer and returned to inventorying the goods. The moment Stargrave turned away, Funuyaki felt the sensation disappear. She shook it off as just her finely honed officer's warning sense giving her an appropriate warning that her life had been in danger.   
  
Her thoughts returned to those of solitude. About the only people that had bothered her since the crash were Malgaunt, when he gave her an order or asked her opinion on something, and the gray wrinkly bag of flesh, Autolycus. Curiously, she found herself charmed by the... whatever he was, and honestly regretful that they had not met under different circumstances. He was easy to get along with and had a sharp mind, despite his age. Also, he lacked the hard edge the other members of the Rack'N Ruin had, despite his own status as a pirate. They might have even become friends. But they had met under their current conditions, and as charming as he was, he still represented part of the difficulties that plagued her. Not that the others were not suffering continuing troubles of their own. Troubles that were becoming progressively worse as time wore on.   
  
Among them was that Fera was dead. Somehow, Funuyaki instinctively knew that, although she could not say how she knew or why. She was beginning to wonder if any of them were going to get off the rock they were stranded on alive. As the casualties on Funuyaki's 'side' continued to soar, she had to admit it was not an unrealistic expectation.   
  
Funuyaki was still considering her options when Onita finally joined them. He was, as Stargrave had promised, apparently unharmed save for the red marks at his throat, and those were becoming fainter by the second. Far from surprising, Onita headed directly for Malgaunt. Funuyaki considered joining them before she realized she didn't particularly care what had happened to her excessively-muscled partner.   
  
Her eyes followed the animated discussion that was just out of her earshot. Onita shot a glare towards Ariana. Although the look promised a great deal of suffering, it wasn't anywhere near as menacing as the one that Stargrave had used earlier, or the glare Ariana was now giving him in return. Funuyaki found herself idly wondering who would kill whom first if it came down to a duel. She knew Onita was skilled in combat and had a tendency towards excessive violence, but her money would have been placed on Ariana. As much as she couldn't stand the woman, she exuded an air of controlled deadliness.  
  
The glaring cut back to more manageable amounts as Malgaunt ordered Onita, then Funuyaki, to begin gathering the supplies they would need to take with them. Funuyaki sighed and went to work, thoughts about her comrades falling from her mind.   
  
As they began rounding up the equipment, Stargrave saw that Angstrom was assisting and obviously gathering together some items that were intended for an overland journey. Stargrave made his way over to Angstrom and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't bother getting anything together. Your job is to stay here and guard the transmitter."  
  
The older man appeared hurt by the order. "Even with our pup- I mean, even with Pupei helping out, you're still going to need every able-bodied being you can get. Joffry can watch the transmitter just fine."  
  
"Joffry has two broken legs and would hardly be able to react in an emergency." Stargrave shook his head. "I need someone reliable staying with the transmitter. It's our only way off this planet. If anything happens to it, our recovery operation is going to be meaningless. I need you here."  
  
Reluctantly, Angstrom assented. He was obviously depressed as he began helping the others pack their things. Stargrave watched him for a few moments and, once convinced that he would be compliant, turned to Autolycus. "I can't see any reason for you to go along."  
  
"Oddly enough, I was thinking the same thing about the mission altogether," Autolycus said as he looked up at his captain.  
  
Stargrave saw that the statement had attracted everyone else's interest. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
Autolycus took a deep breath and began. "Give up the Shihana, Sa'bre."  
  
"You must be joking!" Stargrave snapped.  
  
"Far from it. This plan of yours was faulty from the beginning, as I would have told you had I suspected that you were talking with the Yagdagron with the intention of recovering the Shihana. Now that your well thought-out plan has fallen completely into pieces, it's time to cut your losses and get out of here. Raise a distress call on a general frequency. Since the Galaxy Police won't be the ones responding, whoever picks us up won't know who we are. As long as we don't have the Shihana with us, they shouldn't have any reason to not take us off this miserable planet."  
  
"I'm not leaving the Shihana behind!" Stargrave snarled. His increasing anger caused Ariana to move closer to him, though she made no openly aggressive movements towards Autolycus.  
  
"It's just a tool, one that has become more trouble than it's worth having, no matter how important you think it is. Look at all we've lost in a matter of hours, and what do we really have to show for it? Just a bunch of bodies. Certainly everything we have lost can be replaced in time, but the most important thing is that we haven't lost anything that's irreplaceable. But to continue on the course that has caused us to lose so much would be madness." A sadness entered Autolycus' eyes. "Give up this foolish dream of vengeance and let go of your past, Stargrave."  
  
"What do you know about my past?!"   
  
"I know enough to tell you that if you continue on this course with the obsession you have, you'll just succeed in destroying yourself."  
  
Stargrave trembled with anger, then, almost as if he realized who he was arguing with, he calmed down. Slowly, he took a deep breath to relax. He began speaking in a much more controlled voice. "Even if what you say is true, it's my choice. Besides, I have absolutely no intention of failing anymore. I'm poised on the edge of achieving my dreams, and only a fool would turn back at the moment of his greatest triumph."  
  
"Sometimes it's the bigger fool who doesn't change his dreams," Autolycus said quietly.  
  
Rather than becoming angry at the continued defiance, Stargrave bent low and stared Autolycus directly in the face. "You're right, but sometimes it's the bigger fool who changes his dreams when confronted with the possibility of failure. Life is about risks, and I will not shirk in my dreams because of fear or possible failure."  
  
Autolycus gave up his arguments. His form seemed to slump slightly in the baggy clothing he wore.   
  
"You don't have to come along if you're worried," Stargrave said as he began packing things again.  
  
Autolycus shook his head. "I'll be coming with you for a while longer," he assured them as he watched the others begin to pack their things as well.  
  
"We can't spare anyone to help you along," Stargrave informed him.  
  
Autolycus snorted at that. "I can keep up without any help. I have my ways."  
  
Much to the others' surprise, Stargrave grinned, the first time he had done so since they had crashed. "You do at that, old one. You do at that. Now let's get going." He took a moment to pull the locator out and examine its viewscreen once again. The blip still remained at the exact same coordinates it had before. If it stayed that way for one more day, it would be his once again. And then he would prove Autolycus wrong as the galaxy trembled at his feet.  
  
  
Tenchi rolled around a bit, still somewhat in the throes of the latest part of a dream. The one that led into it was a faint blur, but the current one was more than enough to capture his full, dreamlike attention. In it, he was placed in some horrible situation in school in which he was interested in several very attractive classmates who continuously rejected his blatant romantic overtures. The girls had no names, but they all seemed hauntingly familiar. There was the somewhat ditzy blonde hall monitor, the somewhat snobbish purple-haired class president, and the somewhat rough and tumble cyan-haired class rebel. Every time he tried to come onto any one of them, that girl would hit him and say she wasn't interested in him and that he should try to harass one of the other girls. Each rejection caused the class to laugh at him, but he still persisted in spite of the humiliation. He was sure one of them would break down and like him eventually. He just knew it.  
  
There were other, non-romantic interests in the dream as well. There was the tall, pale, greyish-haired teacher with the small glasses on his nose, who seemed to have a bad tendency to come after Tenchi with an energy sword whenever he got an answer wrong. There was the spiky red-haired school nurse that kept trying to give him enemas, and then there was his younger sister, who would pop in periodically and say 'poor Tenchi', and offer him support. Somehow, they all seemed faintly familiar to him, although he couldn't place a name with any of the faces.   
  
Eventually, the frustration within the dream affected him enough that he came out of it and groggily awakened a little. He was too exhausted to force his eyes open, and a part of him wanted the dream to turn out better anyway. Distantly, he felt himself fluff up his squishy pillows and make his head more comfortable before trying to drift off again. It was still a bit cool, so he tried grabbing his blankets to cover himself up. After his hands fumbled around and found nothing, he became dimly aware and took a moment to allow his sleep-drowsy mind to come up with the information as to why he couldn't find the blankets.  
  
Right, he was sleeping on the cold ground of an alien planet with no blankets to keep him warm. The additional detail of there not being any pillows either also entered his thoughts as well. It took several moments for that detail to be accurately processed before the conflicting information really registered. His memory told him he had fluffed up some squishy, yet firm, pillows several seconds ago. It took another moment for enough higher functions to switch from their sleep cycle to going online and making sense of the situation. Where would a couple of squishy, yet comfortable pillows come from? And why had he developed a sudden craving for milk?  
  
Eyes flew wide open as Tenchi realized that his 'pillows' were covered in an orange material and he found out exactly why they were so squishy, yet firm as well.   
  
"ACK!" He sat up, using his hands to help rise by pushing himself upward. That he placed them directly on Mihoshi's 'pillows,' and that she gave off a low moan as he did so, made him panic even further so that he overrode his natural instincts and simultaneously released his hold by ripping both hands away from their contact point. With no method of support, he went crashing back down face first in-between Mihoshi's breasts once again. On the bright side, they served to cushion what might have been a painful experience, very nicely.   
  
Tenchi assessed the situation. Evidently, at some point during the night he had sought a more comfortable position on the hard and cold ground and ended up sprawled out directly on top of Mihoshi and used her as a makeshift mattress. Currently, their bodies were pointed in the same direction; he was just lower than her. His face had been resting on her chest and the remainder of his body was stretched out across hers. By some miracle, Mihoshi had not been awakened yet.   
  
If anyone had come by, the position would have been explicitly compromising. For the first time since they had crashed into the planet, Tenchi was grateful for not being within half a galaxy of anyone he knew. He would never have been able to explain what was going on. But luck was with him for a change. All he had to do was extract himself from being on top of Mihoshi, and no one would be the wiser.   
  
He started to get up when Mihoshi's legs suddenly wrapped themselves around his lower back, tightly, as he discovered a moment later when he tried to raise himself off her and found he was effectively locked into the position he was currently in. He tried raising himself up on his knees, but Mihoshi's legs kept themselves wrapped around his back, tightening a bit as he tried moving his hips up.  
  
[Talk about thighs of steel. And I thought Ryouko was strong.]  
  
"You be quiet!" Tenchi hissed. At that moment, Mihoshi moaned slightly. Tenchi had enough time to whisper, "Oh shit," before Mihoshi wrapped her arms around his head and smothered him into her cleavage.  
  
Tenchi was about to shout at Mihoshi to stop when he heard a loud snore come from her again. As impossible as it seemed, she must have been still asleep. It seemed either she was grabbing him in response to some dream, or her grasping actions were instinctive. In either case, he still had a chance to get himself out of the situation without having to give a lame and unbelievable sounding excuse as to what he was doing on top of Mihoshi. Sure. Knowing Mihoshi, she'd believe him, and amazingly, it would be the truth. But he would still feel stupid in having to admit to crawling on top of her like some kind of pervert in the middle of the night.  
  
As he was still in the process of trying to evaluate the situation, he started to feel lightheaded. It took him a moment to realize that it was because he was buried facedown in Mihoshi's cleavage, pressed firmly against her and with little room to breathe. Mihoshi's arms had a firm grip around his head, and the most he could risk doing was turning his face slightly so that he could free his nostrils and could get some decent gulps of air.  
  
Once he got some fresh oxygen, he tried coming up with another solution. The way things were going, he was beginning to think he'd rather fight Kagato again than having to deal with extracting himself from his sleeping partner. It would have been easier to deal with, in any case. He was still trying to come up with something, when he heard Mihoshi begin to murmur in her sleep.   
  
"Oh yes, I like it when you say things like that. It makes me feel so wanted."  
  
Tenchi felt at odds with himself. There was a feeling of disgust at eavesdropping at what was obviously not meant for his ears, yet at the same time a voyeuristic desire also made its presence known as his ears strained to hear more of what was going on in Mihoshi's dream. Being helpless in the situation, he relaxed and continued to listen as she murmured again.  
  
"Ohh, what would the others think if they heard you say that about me?"  
  
That piqued his curiosity further, the feelings of disgust falling by the wayside. Was she dreaming about him?  
  
"I bet Aeka and Ryouko would get angry. They get jealous so easily if they're made to feel inadequate. Thanks for choosing me."  
  
So it was about him. He should have known. Still, it was to be expected. She had made her interest in him known, even if she was not quite as forward as the other girls tended to be. The other girls probably dreamt about him as well. His pride swelled at the implication as Mihoshi spoke again.  
  
"Of course, I'd be happy to help you with the cooking, Sasami."  
  
Facefaulting while lying flat and being smothered in someone's ample cleavage is a physical impossibility, a universal law that even Washuu could not break even if she felt inclined to try. That was the only thing that prevented Tenchi from doing so at that moment.  
  
After Mihoshi had quieted down, Tenchi tried coming up once again with something to get him out of his predicament. Her hold was as tight as ever and gave no indication of easing off in the near future. She was going to wake up eventually; even Mihoshi could not sleep an entire day. He needed to do something to get her to release her deathgrip without waking her up. And then it occurred to him: an idea so simple, yet so brilliant, that even Washuu would have patted him on the back for coming up with it. The way to make Mihoshi release her grip would be to do something to her to make her shift that grip, and there was an easy and completely innocent way of doing it.   
  
Tenchi would tickle her. Sure. That would work. No problem.  
  
The only difficulty would be in deciding where to tickle her. Many people were ticklish in their sides, and Tenchi had perfect positioning to try there. He began running his fingers along her sides, waiting for the right moment to jump out of her grasp the instant it was loosened when she laughed. After tickling her sides for a few moments, he felt her tremble. A wide smile broke across his features as he felt her hold shift and then...  
  
...tighten. Her legs grasped at his waist with a power that he could scarcely believe, and his face was smothered into her chest again. Low moans of passion could be heard as she cried out, "Oh yes, Tenchi! Yes! Keep doing that! Keep touching me there!" Her hips began bucking up as she continued moaning.  
  
Tenchi stopped 'tickling' immediately. That had not been his fault. How the hell was he to know that particular area of Mihoshi's body was a sexually sensitive one? She was an alien, for crying out loud! And what was worse was that his own body had begun to respond to the rather animated reaction Mihoshi had to his stimulation.   
  
Tenchi needed to extract himself from her before something happened that both of them would really regret. Unwilling to give up on his original plan, which was good but had suffered from faulty execution, Tenchi began to run his fingers under Mihoshi's armpits. With any luck, she would at least try to scratch the irritation and release him. If she reacted the same way again, he would just yield to the inevitable and wake her up to face whatever consequences followed from his actions.   
  
Even Tenchi's rotten luck wasn't able to hold up. Mihoshi began to giggle as he tickled her there. Almost immediately she loosened the grip on both her arms and legs, and Tenchi used the opportunity to get off of her and as far away as he possibly could. After a moment, Mihoshi's giggles subsided and she began snoring once more.   
  
"I need a vacation," Tenchi moaned as he flopped back on the ground.   
  
Tenchi woke Mihoshi up an hour later. Almost when she had awakened, she looked at him curiously, then blushed. Guessing at why she was blushing, his reaction was to blush in kind. After several minutes of blushing, and the internal voice cooing in a sarcastic voice about 'what a man he was,' Tenchi and Mihoshi grabbed a quick meal of flat-tasting rations before turning to the problem of modifying the anti-gravity web to run on its own power. Unlike the previous modifications Mihoshi had done back at the ship, this one proved to be more difficult. It took them hours of using a minimum of tools to hammer, bend, and otherwise nearly rebuild from scratch a working power supply to the sled. After working for most of the afternoon, they had at last rigged up a small vehicle that was little more than the two long rods and a hovering power core that they could pull through the air behind them. Still, it was the only option they had.   
  
"Which way do we go?" Mihoshi asked as they began to set off.  
  
"Over there." Tenchi pointed to some hills in the distance. He thought he remembered passing them on the way over, and in any case they would help provide cover for them should the people that were trying to get their hands on the orb come looking for them. It was the best they could manage.  
  
The duo set off for the hills.  
  
  
"DAMN!"   
  
Malgaunt turned at the outburst to look at Sa'bre. Stargrave and he had taken the middle section of the six person procession as it made its way towards the Shihana. "What?"  
  
"It's moving again!" Stargrave nearly wailed as he stared at the locator.   
  
Malgaunt was at his side in an instant. "Direction and speed?" He hoped against hope it was Fera and that she was heading towards the ship.   
  
"Nearly in the opposite direction from us." Stargrave stared at the screen for a few moments. "Slowly, at least for now."  
  
Malgaunt did his own mental calculations as he watched the blip on the screen move slowly away from him. "I'd mark it as no greater than two kilometers an hour. For now, as you say."  
  
"We'll still catch up to them," Ariana said. "It'll just take a little while longer. Maybe an extra day. Two at the most."  
  
"Humph!" All eyes turned to Pupei. He was in the rear position of the group. On his back he bore half of the equipment that had been taken on the journey and had kept up with the others with no problems.  
  
"You have something to say?" Stargrave asked, his temper barely held in check.   
  
"You humies are all slow. Let me get rid of this stuff and I can catch up to the Shihana in a day. All I need is that locator to point me in the right direction."  
  
Stargrave brought the device closer in an almost protective gesture. "Hardly. This is the only means we have to track it. If we lose this, we might as well be looking for an Argathian Tick in a Fildebeests Punt."  
  
"Fine." Pupei gave a shrug. "On the other hand, if we get to where whoever is stealing the Shihana was, I might be able to track them by scent."  
  
"You can do that?" Funuyaki wasn't aware of Sasquish having that highly a developed sense of smell.  
  
"If there isn't a strong odor to mask the person I'm tracking, and if they excrete a scent, yes." Pupei looked towards Stargrave again. "But I do need a starting point."  
  
Stargrave considered the facts. It sounded as though it was a possible alternative. They would get as close as they could to the track the Shihana had taken and allow Pupei to go ahead from there. Pupei was a formidable opponent, and could probably defeat any mere Galaxy Police officer easily. However, given what Mihoshi had done so far, she was anything but 'mere'. But since the benefits outweighed the drawbacks, Stargrave had no choice but to nod his head in approval. Besides, he had a good feeling about the plan. Maybe this one would work where all of the others had failed so miserably. After all, how much bad luck could one person have?  
  
  
It took them another day and a half to cover the forty-eight kilometers between themselves and the path the Shihana had taken. In spite of the occasionally difficult terrain, every member of the party was in superior physical shape (save for Autolycus, who was somehow keeping up by moving his tiny legs 'very fast,' as he said) and they were able to set a pace that would cover slightly better than twenty kilometers a day. The Shihana itself was being transported at less than half that, although it appeared to have been taken into a more mountainous area, meaning that Stargrave's own speed was probably going to drop off as well. If the Shihana made its way out of the mountains first, that lead could increase. It was more imperative than ever that Pupei succeeded in his task.  
  
Once the Sasquish got the scent, Stargrave gave the order to leave and watched him set off at an impressive speed. Funuyaki estimated his speed at nearly fifteen kilometers an hour, and he seemed to have no problems negotiating the terrain. With any luck, he would be upon the Shihana before the twin suns set. And by the end of the next day, the Shihana would be Stargrave's.  
  
  
"Tenchi, take a look at that!"  
  
Tenchi stopped pulling the anti-grav sled and looked in the direction she pointed, shielding his eyes from the glare of the twin setting suns and stared at the distant horizon. A soft smile broke across his features as he bathed himself in the panoramic view before him.   
  
Mihoshi moved closer to his side. "What do you think?"  
  
"It's beautiful." At that moment, Tenchi was overwhelmed by the realization that he was now witnessing a view that no one else from his planet would ever enjoy. Not one, but two suns were setting at the same time, their rays shining through a sky that had never known the touch of civilization and was as pure and as natural as could be. The effect was dazzling, and it was a unique thing that only he, out of billions of people, could enjoy. For one brief moment, all of his cares and worries about his and Mihoshi's predicament fell aside and a feeling of exhilaration passed over him.  
  
Mihoshi refrained from giggling, instead content to bask in Tenchi's obvious enjoyment of the scene. The wave of emotions that washed over her at the knowledge that something she had pointed out had made Tenchi feel so happy surprised her. It made her feel content, and yet much happier than she had been in a long time as well. It was most confusing.   
  
She was still trying to sort out her emotions, and failing, when she saw a large, furry figure approaching the mouth of the pass they were in. It took Tenchi several moments longer, until the figure actually entered the pass itself, before he realized it was there.  
  
"Mihoshi? Do you have any idea what that thing is?" he asked.  
  
Mihoshi looked at the creature, standing roughly some thirty meters away from their current position. "Well, if I'm not mistaken, it looks like a Sasquish. Overall they're a very nice alien race that are very smart, tend to be reasonable, and not given to quick or irrational judgments. Except for the ones with a rare brain disease that make them quick-tempered and nearly homicidal. But the Sasquish try to cover up that fact from the general public since they consider such members of their race an embarrassment and a symbol of their inability to deal with the problem. But, generally normal Sasquish are easy to get along with and cause few problems that draw the attention of the Galaxy Police."  
  
The Sasquish drew close enough that Tenchi could make out the expression on its face. "And the ones that are quick-tempered?"  
  
"Have a bad tendency to rip the limbs off of people that they don't like," Mihoshi informed him. "I had to arrest one a while back. It was a bit difficult, since their hides are so tough they're laser-resistant."  
  
The Sasquish was drawing uncomfortably close. "How did you stop him?"  
  
Mihoshi thought about that for a moment. "Umm. As I recall, after we demolished the bar, most of its patrons, and the security bots, I ducked under one of his punches and he hit a power main embedded in the wall, electrocuting him. It ended up causing a black out in the whole area, but he was definitely subdued. He did smell just awful afterwards. I never want to smell burnt Sasquish again."  
  
When he was about ten meters away, the Sasquish slowed down as he approached them. To Tenchi, the alien appeared very big and very strong. "Did the one you had to arrest look as angry as the one that's approaching now?"  
  
"Uh, yes. Yes it did," Mihoshi responded happily.  
  
That was just great. Tenchi took note of their surroundings. The pass they were in was narrow and with sheer sides that made climbing impossible. Judging by how fast the Sasquish had initially ran towards them, there was no chance they could outrun him either. Unless a space ship suddenly swooped down and chased off the large alien, they were not going to get out of this without a fight.  
  
Mihoshi stood in front of Tenchi and smiled towards Pupei. "Umm, excuse me, but I don't suppose you're here to rescue us?"  
  
"Afraid not," Pupei was impressed by the girl's courage. When faced by a large and angry Sasquish, most humanoids would have tried fleeing in terror. It never did any good, but that never stopped them from trying.  
  
"What are your intentions here?"   
  
That brought Pupei to a stop. What game was the girl playing at? Perhaps she was trying to buy time. "I'm going to take that orb from you and kill you. Trust me, compared to what Stargrave would do to you, being dismembered by me is going to be a blessing."  
  
"Sir, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to place you under arrest," Mihoshi warned.  
  
Stupid courage, Pupei noted, but it was still courage. At least the boy hadn't seemed to do anything yet. The Galaxy Police officer was the most dangerous. She would have to be taken out first.   
  
"I'm quite serious." This time. Mihoshi drew her sidearm and pointed it at Pupei.   
  
"I thought you said they were laser-resistant," Tenchi said from his position slightly behind Mihoshi. Given her poise, he had thought she knew what she was doing in confronting Pupei. But now he began to wonder if perhaps he had jumped to a very wrong conclusion.   
  
"Oh, that's right." She tossed her laser pistol several meters away.   
  
"So how are you going to subdue him now?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"Oh, that's easy. I'll just..." Mihoshi thought about it. Then she gave some more thought about it. Then she gave a whole lot more thought about it, using every thought she had. After several moments, she sobbed out, "I have no idea how."  
  
Pupei shook his head. Either the duo was having fun at his expense or they were idiots. In either case, he was going to enjoy dismembering them. He gave a battle cry and rushed towards Mihoshi.  
  
Tenchi fumbled for the Master Key inside his shirt. Just as he brought it out, it slipped from his finger and fell to the ground. Several curses escaped from his lips as he bent down to retrieve the weapon. He looked up just in time to see that there was no chance he could recover it before the Sasquish fell upon Mihoshi.  
  
Pupei was no more than ten feet away when a panic-stricken Mihoshi held out her right hand before her and yelled out, "Halt!" before closing her eyes and wincing.  
  
Large shards of ice shot out from the freezer cell in her gauntlet. The initial giant ice shards impacted against Pupei's skin, halting his forward momentum. As each shard touched him, it adhered to him like a second skin. Within several moments, he was completely encased in ice. Once fully blanketed in the opaque substance, the unit stopped firing and shut down.  
  
Hearing none of the expected sounds of violence, Mihoshi opened her eyes and saw that block of Sasquish standing in front of her, not more than five feet away. She looked curiously at her glove. "Wow! I forgot I had one of these."  
  
Tenchi sat down, happy that the problem had been solved while silently cursing Mihoshi for getting him so worked up when she had the situation well in hand, even if she didn't know it. The girl was going to give him a heart attack one of these days -assuming one of the other girls didn't beat her to it first- but as it stood now, Mihoshi was probably the front runner in that particular contest.   
  
Within the block of ice, Pupei felt his mental processes shutting down one by one. It was just like when he had been frozen in the Neratron. He was being encased in a prison that denied him even the dignity of movement, to be put on display as a freak of nature for the amusement of others, just like on the ship. Just like he had been treated on his home planet. He was an embarrassment, not only to his family, but to his entire race. He denied that fate! Never again!  
  
A surge of anger flooded him, counteracting the anesthetic functions of the icy prison. It took all of his remaining strength, but he forced himself to fight through his stupor and then through a field of pain. He flexed his impressive muscles with all of his might, and just as he thought he would fail, he felt a crack form in the surface of the ice. With that small victory to spur him onward, he redoubled his efforts and was rewarded by the prison shattering all at once, sending icy fragments in all directions.  
  
One of the larger fragments struck Mihoshi solidly in the temple, stunning her and sending her reeling. Even as Pupei fell to the ground, trying to regain his strength, Mihoshi staggered around as though she were drunk. Swaying, she ended up walking facefirst into one of the rocky sides of the pass and bounced off, hard. She turned back towards Tenchi, cross-eyed and standing even more unsteadily on her feet. "That didn't feel good at all." She collapsed to the ground in a heap.  
  
Pupei recovered enough to appreciate the unintentional results of his handiwork. He took one menacing step towards Mihoshi. "I'm going to beat you to death with your own arm for that, you little bitch."  
  
"Stay away from her!"  
  
Pupei turned away from Mihoshi's motionless form. His attention was so riveted on the girl that he had forgotten there was another annoying pest around. He took a careful look at Tenchi. "Fine. Have it your way. I'll beat her to death with your arm instead."  
  
Sensing words would be wasted, Tenchi said nothing and held the Master Key before him. A moment's concentration summoned forth the power within him, activating the long blue blade of Juraian energy. He began a basic attack pattern his grandfather had taught him, bringing the blade high above his head. From that position, he flowed smoothly and brought the blade to bear in front of him, pointing it in Pupei's direction. Tenchi hoped the show of skill would make the Sasquish think twice before attacking. Surely he would back away in fear of the Master Key.  
  
Pupei took one look at the blade of energy, laughed, then came forward.   
  
Tenchi gulped audibly. "Stay back, or I won't be responsible for what happens to you." Tenchi saw that words had no effect on the much larger alien, and was about to go into an attack position with the Master Key when the blade flickered, then went out altogether.   
  
"BWHAHAHAHA! What's the matter, humie? Forget to put the battery in your little flashsword there?" Pupei roared in laughter again as Tenchi slammed down on the hilt in a vain effort to get the sword to re-ignite. It was the best laugh he had had in a long time. The boy had done him a favor in lightening his mood. Pupei would return the boon by killing him quickly.  
  
Tenchi's panicked attempts failed to produce even a glimmer from the Master Key. Seeing Pupei recover from his bout of laughter, Tenchi backed away and began looking around for an alternate weapon. His eyes fell on the laser pistol a few feet away, the one Mihoshi had carelessly tossed aside earlier. She claimed it wasn't powerful enough to hurt the Sasquish, but Tenchi found himself hoping that this would be one instance in which she had been wrong.   
  
He bent down and picked up the weapon. It appeared to be simple enough to use; one just pointed at where the target was and pulled on the trigger. It was just like shooting a gun, not that Tenchi had ever had the opportunity to fire one, but the principle appeared the same.   
  
When he leveled the laser at the Sasquish, it just smiled in return. Tenchi went ahead and fired, the laser bolt going well over the right shoulder of what he thought he had been aiming at. The second shot was badly overcompensated, and Tenchi's shot hit the ground a good two feet in front of the furry alien. Pupei grew tired of toying with his prey and charged forward, taking the third shot in the shoulder. He grimaced slightly as the laser stung him, but did no real damage. The fourth shot never came close to Pupei as he managed to close the distance between him and his target and slashed upward, striking Tenchi's weapon arm. Instead of heading towards the alien, the shot went high into the air and struck the side of the pass directly above Tenchi. The blow also served to knock the laser out of Tenchi's hand and it went sailing nearly twenty feet away.   
  
Tenchi pulled back his arm, cradling it in his other. Blood flowed freely from a gash that had been opened up by the Sasquish's claws.   
  
Pupei backhanded Tenchi, sending him sailing several feet away and into the side of the pass wall and right under an overhang. Pupei took a moment to admire his handiwork. "Nice try, kid. But this is where you get what's coming to yo-" A rock hit Pupei directly on top of the head.   
  
Pupei paused in his 'parting speech' and looked up. At first, he was concerned that a third person might have been hiding and had positioned themselves above him for some kind of assault. But when he looked up, he saw no one there. Relaxing, he looked back towards Tenchi. He was about to begin his speech again when a low rumble came from above. His head jerked upward, for he thought he recognized the sound and understood what the first stone had heralded. Sure enough, just as he looked skyward, he saw a large portion of the pass wall, the part that the fourth laser shot had hit, give way and come falling down the towards him like a gray wave of water.   
  
Pupei lunged forward, hoping to make it under the overhang Tenchi had fallen under, all the while knowing he wasn't going to make it. A prayer passed his lips as he felt the first, and largest of the rocks, hit him squarely in the back. A Sasquish's hide could withstand a great deal of abuse, but tons of stone falling from that height was far too much, even for someone as durable as Pupei.  
  
Tenchi covered his ears as the roar of the miniature avalanche deafened him. He too sent a silent prayer to the heavens above; one in which he hoped the overhang he was under would not collapse from the weight from above. Less than ten seconds after it started, it was over. Tenchi waited for the dust to settle, and his hearing to return, before scrambling out from the underhang and running as far away from the area of the pass that had collapsed. Just because the initial wave was over did not mean there would not be a second rockslide, perhaps even worse than the first.   
  
A couple of minutes passed, and when it appeared that nothing else was going to fall down, Tenchi relaxed. He looked at the place where his opponent had been and found himself feeling sorry for the large alien in spite of the fact that it had just tried to kill both himself and...  
  
"MIHOSHI!" Tenchi turned to see where she was. She appeared to be in the same condition as she had been when he had lost sight of her. She was laying face down on the ground and well away from the rockslide.   
  
Guilt shot through Tenchi as he made his way over to her and carefully picked her up. How could he have forgotten her so quickly? True, he had been attacked, cut, and nearly buried alive, but once it was obvious he was out of any immediate danger he should have been at her side. Instead, he had stared at a big pile of rocks while Mihoshi could have been dying. If anything happened to her, it would be his fault for not reacting in time.  
  
Ignoring the growing feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach, Tenchi gently shook her, while being mindful of the wound to her head. There was only a small trickle of blood coming from it, not as much as the cut she had gotten in her fight with the Katasan from the other day, but with head injuries one could never tell how serious they truly were.   
  
Panic started to overtake him; that would accomplish nothing. He used a mental exercise to calm himself. It was one his grandfather had taught him when he was younger, and ever since the girls had entered his life he had found himself putting the technique to frequent use. After bringing himself under control he softly, he called out Mihoshi's name.  
  
After the second time Tenchi said it aloud, Mihoshi's eyes fluttered open. The dreadful feeling that had made its home in the pit of his stomach left him. He said, "How do you-"  
  
"The Sasquish!" Mihoshi tried sitting straight up from her prone position in Tenchi's arms. She only got halfway up when her head slammed into Tenchi's, knocking them both out for a full minute. They recovered at the same time, each sitting up and groaning.   
  
"Sorry about that," Mihoshi said as she regained her feet, then helped Tenchi up on his. It took both of them several moments to collect their thoughts before they realized what had happened.   
  
"Where's the Sasquish?"  
  
"Under there." Tenchi pointed at the pile of rocks that now served as Pupei's funeral cairn.   
  
Mihoshi looked at the pile of stone, whistled, then looked back at Tenchi in open awe. "Wow! I had no idea you were that strong. How'd you pick up that really big boulder on the top? It looks like it weighs a couple of tons."  
  
"I didn't throw the rocks on top of him! He just got buried in an avalanche!" Tenchi snapped.  
  
"Oh." Mihoshi nodded in understanding.   
  
Tenchi breathed a sigh of relief and allowed the majority of his tension to drift from him. Once he felt at least semi-relaxed, he turned his attention to the prize that the others seemed to so desperately want. "I wonder what's in that thing?"  
  
"Let's find out." With her curiosity aroused, Mihoshi turned to the orb and examined it closely. She touched the single button on the outside, and was rewarded with the control panel sliding open. Looking at the twenty different keys that dotted the surface of the pad, it readily became apparent to her that the way to open the orb was to punch in some kind of code. She told Tenchi as much.  
  
"Is there anyway of figuring out what the code is?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"You could hack your way into the system and find it that way. Usually the protection on these is really good and it's difficult to figure out how to get into the system and find the proper files." Mihoshi began punching numbers into the keypad.  
  
Tenchi watched her closely. "So how long do you think it'll take you to hack into that thing?"  
  
"Silly. I can't hack into it. I don't have any equipment for it, and I'm not really any good at hacking either."  
  
"Err, then what are you doing?"  
  
"Oh, I'm just playing with the numbers here." Mihoshi listened with amusement at the funny sounds each button made when she pressed them. "The code has to be some combination of them. I can make it open when I find out the right one."  
  
"And how long are the codes, usually?"  
  
"It could be anything up to twenty five different digits."  
  
Tenchi felt a headache come on. "Mihoshi, do you have any idea how many different twenty five number combinations are possible on a twenty digit pad like that? The idea that you can just randomly punch buttons and hope you somehow come up with the right combination is-"  
  
*WHIRR...THUD*  
  
"Ohhhh, that's really pretty. You know. I think that second orb inside the first one is made out of polynison. That's strange because it's really, really expensive and to use that much of it would cost a small fortun...Tenchi, why are you hitting your head into the ground and saying 'Why do I even bother' over and over again?"  
  
Tenchi didn't answer. He just kept hitting his head into the ground and hoped that after enough times, it would eventually all make sense to him. Either that, or he knocked himself into unconsciousness. Either way it would make things less frustrating.  
  
And several feet away, one of the most lethal killers in the universe remained where it was, only two shields away from blossoming as it was created to do.  
  
  



	8. chapter 8

Vacation Days   
Chapter 8  
  
  
A Tenchi Muyo! Fic  
This uses the OVA continuity.   
  
Any and all C+C craved for. You can contact me at:  
sommer@3rdm.net  
  
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Tenchi Muyo! materials   
  
All of my stuff is now stored at:  
http://angcobra.jumpfun.com/dbsommer.html  
  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
"We're almost on top of it."  
  
Malgaunt's whisper carried on the wind just into Funuyaki's hearing. The marshal-turned-potential-revolutionary wasn't quite correct about that. It was she and Ariana that were almost on top of it. They were the ones that had taken the point and would encounter the Shihana first. And the only reason it was not Ariana alone was because Malgaunt had insisted Funuyaki go along to accompany her. The look the taller woman had shot Funuyaki told all she needed to know about the enforcer's feelings concerning their shared responsibilities.  
  
The duo, ahead of the others by nearly thirty feet, crouched low and ran as fast as they could and ducked behind a pile of rocks that littered the pass through the mountains. There was virtually no cover in the rocky terrain, and if the Shihana was as close as Malgaunt believed, then it should be just on the other side of the pile of rubble.   
  
A deep breath helped Funuyaki to calm down. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Ever since the day before, when Stargrave saw that the Shihana had stopped moving, she had felt an increasing amount of tension weigh her down as surely as if she had been carrying Onita on her back. Given her own skills in perception, she could tell she was not the only one. Initially, everyone -save Funuyaki and Autolycus- had been delighted when the Shihana had stopped around the time Pupei should have made contact with whomever was transporting it. When it remained stationary for more than five minutes, Stargrave actually went so far as to hug a delighted Ariana. However, the cheers became more guarded when the Shihana continued remaining where it was, not drawing any closer to them on its own, although they were moving closer to it. Stargrave assured everyone that Pupei was strong enough to carry the adamantine orb, or even roll it in order to bring it towards them, but he did not. Instead, it remained exactly where it was. After a couple of hours of non-movement, a sort of uneasiness settled over everyone, and the pace of their march increased. A heavy rain began that night when they camped among a small cluster of trees and had continued on through the night and into the next day when they started their journey again.  
  
And now they found themselves nearly on top of where the Shihana should have been. Ariana had been assigned the task of scouting forward. Funuyaki had been ordered by Malgaunt to go as well so that Stargrave did not have one up on him. Being so openly treated like a pawn made her pride swell, she thought sarcastically.  
  
The duo were just starting to climb up the pile when Funuyaki's hand fell upon something soft among the rocks. She paused a moment to examine it, Ariana continuing her climb, either not noticing or not caring that her companion was no longer at her side. It took Funuyaki only a moment to shift aside some of the loose rubble and discover what the furry object was, and what it belonged to.   
  
"And then there were six."  
  
A sharp intake of breath from above snapped Funuyaki out of her reverie. Ariana stood at the top of the pile, looking down on the other side, her attention focused on something. Worry and disappointment had replaced the usual mask of anger Stargrave's first mate wore. Since the taller woman was not behaving in a threatened or cautious manner, Funuyaki opted to rush quickly up the side of the pile and look down to see what the cause of the disturbance was.   
  
Upon seeing what was on the other side, Funuyaki gave a wide smile that nearly split her face in half. She turned back towards the other members of the party farther back in the pass. "Hey Stargrave! Malgaunt! Come on over! You've just got to see this!"  
  
By the time the others made their way around the pile, Funuyaki had already made her way to the other side and positioned herself so she could witness both men's reactions at the same time. The pair looked in horror as they saw Funuyaki standing next to an empty adamantine container, as though it was a prize trophy fish she had caught. She decided that all of the problems from the overland trip had been worth seeing those two look that shocked.  
  
Ariana saw the pain on her captain's face. It was as she had suspected; he was nearly a broken man with this turn of events. Her mind raced as she turned her head skyward and appeared to contemplate the rain. A look of determination crossed her face and she began running further down the pass, opposite the direction the group had arrived. Only Funuyaki took notice of her departure.   
  
Stargrave remained silent in his rage. Malgaunt stared in open-mouthed wonder, trying to gather his thoughts. Eventually, he managed to get out, "That's not possible. There's no way Mihoshi had the time, or skill, to hack into the computer. It's too encrypted, even if she had the material necessary to get into it."  
  
"It wasn't hacked into." Funuyaki pointed at the keypad and its computer ports. "The seals on the ports are still intact and there's no sign of tampering on the keypad."  
  
"There's no way she could have known the code!"  
  
"Of course not, Sir." Funuyaki found it easy to address him now that her superior appeared more frazzled than a Wushanari thrown into a blender.  
  
"Maybe it was a computer malfunction," Onita offered. He had caught up to the others and had reacted with more detachment than either Stargrave or Malgaunt had.   
  
Malgaunt stared blankly at Onita. "Perhaps," he said, all the while knowing it was impossible for a malfunction to have caused the orb to open. But grasping onto some cause, any sort of reason, was something his mind had to do in order to deal with the situation.   
  
"It's over now, isn't it?" Stargrave managed to get out as he continued staring at the sphere.  
  
"The tracker was on the outside of that orb. I had no way of inserting another on the contents of the polynison sphere inside," Malgaunt confirmed.   
  
Autolycus gave a soft sigh of relief. "Praise be. Now we can get on with our lives and finally get off this rock."  
  
"Don't... start!" Stargrave snarled, turning in anger upon the diminutive creature.  
  
Autolycus held up his small, gnarled hands. "No offense was intended, but you've known my feelings on the matter."  
  
Stargrave raised his face to the skies and allowed the gentle rain to wash over him. He needed desperately to believe in something. Perhaps Autolycus was right. Maybe the whole plot with the Shihana had been nothing more than a fanciful dream he would never have seen to fruition. Maybe it was time to get on with his life and get out of the pirate business altogether and do something else. Something peaceful. Perhaps-  
  
"I can track them!"  
  
All eyes looked down the pass. Ariana was still more than hundred meters away, but her voice had carried over the low din of the rain. She was running towards them as fast as she could, shouting out over and over again that she could track them.   
  
Once she arrived at the group, she got out between gasps of breath, "I went down and checked the other end of the pass. The terrain there is much softer, and with the way it's been raining, they left footprints all over the place. I can track them overland now. The whole area's forested, and it'll make following them a little slow, but I can do it."  
  
In joy, Stargrave kissed Ariana on her forehead and laughed to the heavens above. "I knew I wouldn't be denied! The Shihana will be mine!"  
  
Softly, daring to interrupt the captain's rapture, a voice said, "Don't do this."  
  
Stargrave turned on Autolycus. "The hell I won't! We're almost upon our goal. There's no way I'll back off now." He turned away from Autolycus and began to head towards the opposite end of the pass.  
  
Another soft sigh escaped the gray flesh that passed for lips on Autolycus. "I know where there's a space tree you can bond to." All eyes looked in confusion upon the diminutive being's form. Seeing he had Stargrave's undivided attention, Autolycus continued. "I had been meaning to save this for when you had learned a great deal more self-control, but I can clearly see that if I don't act now, you're going to make a mistake from which you'll never recover."  
  
Slowly, Stargrave seemed to consider the offer. Temptation was written on his features. "It doesn't matter. Getting the Shihana back is more important." Despite his rejection, the allure was still there for all to see.  
  
"It's a first generation space tree."  
  
Temptation changed to amusement as Stargrave roared in laughter at Autolycus. "Now I know you're lying. There are less than a dozen first generation space trees, all of them bonded and protected."  
  
"It's the Sirocco."  
  
Malgaunt's eyebrows furrowed. "Impossible. Sirocco was destroyed along with the entire fleet that attacked the Whipwreck homeworld. There were no survivors. And even if it hadn't been destroyed, that was over a thousand years ago. We would have heard of it surviving before now."  
  
"It survived," Autolycus informed him, then turned to Stargrave. "Do you remember when I took a leave of absence a few months back? It was then that I stumbled upon its location in the protected zone around Earth. Sirocco's outward form has changed so much that she's physically unrecognizable, and she's taking great efforts to mask her presence, but it is her. And she is powerful. Perhaps even more powerful than before." He paused a moment to allow the information to sink in. "Think about it, Sa'bre. A first generation space tree at your command. It'll be true power for you, not this bone the Yagdagron intend to throw at you for helping them overthrow an empire."  
  
Sensing he was getting through to Stargrave, Autolycus decided it was time to reveal more. "The main reason I've remained at your side for the last couple of decades is because I've sensed potential in you, boy. Real potential. The kind that can change the face of the galaxy for millennia, but only if you utilize it correctly."  
  
"I am trying to change things," Stargrave protested. "With the Yagdagron-"  
  
Autolycus's tone turned to that of a teacher explaining a simple concept to an exceptionally stupid student. "Let me tell you what's going to happen. The Yagdagron, if they are successful, will have their little would-be dictatorship overthrown in less than two hundred years, and that's if they succeed at all. Don't try to argue this with me. I've seen over a thousand empires more powerful than theirs dissolve when they reaped the whirlwind from their actions. I know what I'm talking about.  
  
"But you're different, and I don't mean by that power within you, although that is part of it. I can feel inside you the ability to affect all of those around you, and I don't mean in simply taking over a gang of thieves. I've only felt the potential in just under two dozen people in my considerable lifetime. Less than half of them ever managed to achieve the greatness they had within them. Don't be a failure like those others; listen to what I'm saying. On your own, without becoming a lackey to others, you can become a force in this universe that could conceivably make the Jurai Empire tremble. It doesn't matter what they did to you before. You have to go beyond petty schemes of vengeance. You have to be willing to let go of the past and move forward with the future, otherwise you're doomed to failure. That I can guarantee."  
  
Doubt consumed Stargrave's features, and for the briefest of moments it appeared he was going to agree. But it was just that: a moment. As with all the moments that had come before, it passed, and once again Stargrave seemed to firm in his resolve. "You're assuming I want the greatness you speak of. Well I don't. I refuse to 'let go of the past', as you put it. They can never be forgiven for what they've done to me and mine. Never."  
  
Autolycus looked deeply into Sa'bre's eyes. It was as he suspected; Stargrave would never give up on his quest. "Then it's time for me to go. I have no desire to watch you destroy yourself, or waste my time any further. You're on your own from now on." Autolycus turned and headed back the way they had come.  
  
"You're going back to the ship?" Whatever emotions Stargrave felt at Autolycus's abandonment were hidden too well for even Malgaunt to determine.  
  
"I'm getting off this rock."   
  
Stargrave looked at him curiously. "Impossible. At least until a ship arrives."  
  
"I have my own resources," Autolycus said enigmatically. He was about to turn away again when his eyes fell upon Funuyaki. "You can come along if you like. You don't belong here with the rest of them."  
  
It took Funuyaki several seconds to process exactly what was said. How could Autolycus have known her doubts? Were they that obvious? Malgaunt had never said anything. If he had realized what she had been thinking the entire time, he would never have trusted her, would he?  
  
Her mind began racing. What about Autolycus's offer? A chance to get out of the situation? She had been looking for one since the entire fiasco had been revealed to her. Now it seemed, at least on the surface, that she had an opportunity to cut her losses and run. Could she salvage something of her career? Could she even salvage something of her life? What was there for her if she ran away now?  
  
And what if, in spite of all the difficulties that Malgaunt and the others had encountered, they still somehow succeeded in their plans and overthrew the Jurai Empire? Where would she be then? Could she afford to pass up the rewards if they were successful, even with the recriminations she had over her own actions? She had to make a choice, and she had to make it now. What was she going to do?  
  
A soft smile was the first response she gave to Autolycus. For the second, she said, "My fate is here with these others. Nothing can change that now. Nothing."  
  
A final sigh escaped Autolycus's lips. "Such a waste," he murmured, then turned and began walking away again.  
  
"Do you want me to bring him back, or take care of him?" Ariana asked Stargrave.  
  
"And what purpose would that serve?" Stargrave gave Ariana a disappointed look. "He's free to come or go as he pleases. It just means he'll be cut out of the deal when the time for rewards comes." He shouldered the backpack he had been carrying. "It's time to move out. Every second we waste here the Shihana gets further away from us. Ariana, show us the way."  
  
The others obeyed and picked up their packs once more. To Funuyaki, the pack seemed a lot lighter, now that she had finally decided on what to do.   
  
The group set off in the direction that their prize had been taken.  
  
  
Slogging through the mud was tiring. Even the frequent toiling he had done in the fields back home had not prepared him for this kind of exercise. It would have been so much easier if the terrain had been rocky, or at least not muddy. Even if it would stop raining, things would be better. But the earth was soft and the rain had fallen continuously for nearly two days now, and it seemed doubtful that they were anywhere near the ship.   
  
It would have felt like a complete exercise in futility if not for the fact that Tenchi had a bad feeling that their troubles weren't over and that they were being followed. It was not as though he had actually seen any indication that there was anyone following them, not even the quick movement of a shadow out of the corner of his eye, and yet the feeling would still not go away. It was making him slightly paranoid. Slightly, only because when you hung around people that could move through walls, summon floating logs, and turn your storage closet into an access portal to another dimension, and all of said people had an active interest in you, you already had a tendency to be paranoid. You got used to the feeling after a while. When you were almost certain you were being hunted by one or more bad guys intending harm upon your person, the paranoia was higher and more constant, but remained at acceptable levels.   
  
It was getting close to Mihoshi's turn to pull the anti-gravity sled. It was not so much the weight of the sled that bothered Tenchi -it was in an antigravity field and was weightless- it was the slow, steady pace and concentration that had to be maintained in order to keep the field around the orb stable. The orb had fallen off once and it had taken a half an hour in the pouring rain to reset the field to get it to transport the whitish ball of smooth material once again. Remaining in one spot was worse than moving in many ways. The air was slightly chilly even during the daytime and being soaked to the bone didn't help at all.   
  
"I think it's my turn to pull the sled now, Tenchi."  
  
"I can carry it a while longer." It was true that Mihoshi had insisted on pulling the sled at least half of the time, and it was the fair thing to do, but chivalry, along with a bit of a desire to be macho, made him want to pull it at least fifty minutes out of every hour.   
  
Mihoshi was adamant. "No. It's been two hours and that means it's my turn to pull it. Now give it up, Tenchi."  
  
Tenchi was about to politely refuse again when he spotted the mouth to a nearby cave. It was only a little less than a couple of hours until the sun would set, and they needed to find shelter soon to keep out of the rain during the night. The cave would be perfect. It would mean possibly sacrificing some travel time, but whoever was following them would almost surely seek out shelter from the rain as well. Once inside, they could even try lighting a fire and getting warm. Tenchi had already forgotten the last time he had felt warm.   
  
"Why don't we wait in there, you know, with how the weather is and all?" Tenchi pointed to the mouth of the cave.  
  
"What do you mean? What's wrong with the weather?"  
  
Apparently not only did it tend to be colder on Mensa than on Earth, but the area of the planet that Mihoshi had grown up in had an annual amount of rainfall that would have turned any desert into a rainforest, or so Tenchi had discovered when Mihoshi said she was unaffected by the rain and temperature. If it got any colder, Tenchi would have accepted Mihoshi's offer of allowing him to wear her uniform. There was a point where pride gave way to discomfort.  
  
"I'm just a little soggy and cold," Tenchi said through chattering teeth.  
  
"Oh, right. I forgot you find this weather uncomfortable." Mihoshi helped Tenchi pull the sled into the mouth of the small cave. Upon entering it, they saw that it only stretched back several meters and was littered with a variety of uncomfortable-looking stones and some wood that had somehow ended up in the cave. They cleared out some of the stones and freed up a small area towards the center of their shelter. Once they were satisfied with their space, they elected to leave the sled outside at the mouth of the cave, the size of it being far too large to make staying in the cave comfortable.  
  
It took nearly an hour to make the cave suitable for an overnight stay. By the time they had finished, one sun had nearly completed its journey to the horizon and the second was well on its way to join its companion. Now that he was out of the rain, Tenchi found things far more comfortable and began to relax. There was just one thing that was missing to make the cave truly enjoyable. Or at least as enjoyable as the circumstance allowed.  
  
Mihoshi finished tying her hair back up as she watched Tenchi gather the dried sticks from the cave into a little pile in the center of their clearing. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm going to try to make a fire." Tenchi gathered all of the wood that he could. There wasn't much wood, but if he used it sparingly, he could make a small fire that would last for several hours. "Do you have something that could start a fire?"  
  
"Hmm. I think I might have something, if I remember correctly." Mihoshi rifled through the pockets of her uniform until she came up with a book of matches. She handed it to Tenchi.  
  
Tenchi's eyebrows raised slightly as he looked the matchbook over. "You've been to The G-Spot Club?"  
  
"Yes," Mihoshi said, giggling. "I went with Ryouko and Aeka last month. It was all Ryouko's idea. She said she'd been there lots of times and that it had great food."   
  
"It's the most infamous male strip club in all of Tokyo."  
  
"Oh. I guess that would explain why the waiters were so big and handsome and wore those tight leather pants and muscle shirts. And here I thought it was just because the place was really warm. Anyway, we had a really fun time and all got along really well. The waiters were very accommodating, too." Mihoshi got a far off look in her eyes. "One of them gave me a nine inch sausage."  
  
Tenchi made a strangling noise.   
  
"It was bigger than anything I ever had before. I was so proud of myself. I managed to swallow the whole nine inches on the first try."  
  
Tenchi began choking on air.   
  
"Even Ryouko was impressed by that. She said she wanted to try too, but she could only get seven inches down before she gagged."  
  
Tenchi's heart began to fail.  
  
"Aeka said that was nothing and got a nice, fat, juicy foot long one down in a single gulp. She said she was so good at it because of her Juraian bridal training. Who'd have thought they taught that sort of thing in bridal training, right, Tenchi? Tenchi?"  
  
Mihoshi suddenly realized that Tenchi had stopped breathing and promptly began giving him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. He started breathing again after the first ten seconds.  
  
Once consciousness returned, Tenchi shot to his feet. "Mihoshi! How could you betray me like that?!" He gave her a cold glare as he leveled an accusing finger at her.  
  
The accusation caused Mihoshi to sniffle. "I didn't know you'd be offended. I'm sorry. Next time I'll order an extra nine inch sausage for you. I'll be sure they put extra sauce and green peppers on it, and I'll even get a side order of french fries. Would that make it up to you?"  
  
Tenchi's eyebrow twitched so violently it was nearly a blur. "I knew you meant sausage as in food instead of sausage as in... sausage." Of course, that wasn't true, but it's not like he could admit to it.  
  
Tenchi sat back down and let his mind go into neutral for the next fifteen minutes. Once enough of his faculties recovered so that he wouldn't have an embarrassment-induced heart attack, he said. "I'm sorry. I overreacted at your choice of... dish."  
  
"That's okay," Mihoshi assured him.  
  
"No, no. I should have acted more calmly." The intensity of his reaction at the perceived betrayal had surprised even him. He was going to have to think on why it had been so violent later. "Anyway, I don't want you to go back there again."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"I, ah," Tenchi couldn't quite find the right words. Fortunately, some were provided for him.  
  
[Just tell her you're jealous of the idea that if she hangs around good-looking, scantily clad studboys, she might lose interest in you and chase after them.]  
  
That wasn't it at all.  
  
[It's not?]  
  
That mostly wasn't it at all.  
  
[No?]  
  
Okay, it was exactly that.   
  
[Good boy. Have a sausage.]  
  
"I just don't want you to go there because it makes me uncomfortable that you would hang around guys like... that."  
  
"Like what?" Mihoshi asked in bewilderment.  
  
"Err, guys that like to go around showing off their bodies at the drop of a hat."  
  
"You mean like Ryouko does with you?" Mihoshi asked.  
  
"Yes, exactly like-"  
  
[NOOO! You idiot! You fell into the trap!]  
  
It was too late. Mihoshi, as scatterbrained as she could be at times, was still a woman. "If I don't mind you hanging around Ryouko, why should you mind me hanging around guys like that?"  
  
[Told you so]  
  
Tenchi began to panic at having the tables suddenly turned on him. "It's..."  
  
[It's called a double standard. I can hang around whoever I want, but you are allowed only to hang around people that I think are okay. Which means you can't breathe the same air as anything male that doesn't looks like he was beaten with an ugly stick, broke the stick, and then got hit with another one. Deal with it.]  
  
That wasn't going to work. Even with Mihoshi.  
  
[I'm fresh out of ideas then. You're on your own from now on.]  
  
Tenchi gave a sigh. Best to tell the truth. "I shouldn't. It's wrong of me, I know, but I can't help the way I am. I'm sorry. You can hang out with whoever you want."  
  
"Of course I can," Mihoshi said confidently. "But I won't go there again. If it makes you uncomfortable, it would make me uncomfortable and then I wouldn't have fun, and if I wouldn't have fun, there wouldn't be any reason for me to go."  
  
Tenchi breathed a sigh of relief. Yes, morally he was in the wrong, but her concession still made him feel good. There was just one lingering detail. "Mihoshi?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Can you really eat a nine inch sausage in one gulp?"  
  
"Tenchi, I could do eleven if I had to."  
  
A silly grin spread across Tenchi's features. Mihoshi truly was a girl of many talents. One of which was...  
  
"Mihoshi, this matchbook is wet."  
  
"Oh, don't worry about it. Just make a fire to dry it out."  
  
...the ability to frustrate the hell out of him sometimes. The silly grin disappeared, replaced by the shivering from the cold. "Do you have something else I could use to make a fire so I can dry these matches out and use them to make a fire?"  
  
The ability to comprehend sarcasm easily was not one of Mihoshi's many talents. Being able to swallow eleven inches of sausage went a long way to balancing that out, though. "Umm. Nope. I don't think so."  
  
"Can't you turn your laser to a lower setting and cause it to make a fire?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"Nope," Mihoshi assured him. "The only settings it has are 'stun', 'kill', and 'make sure someone cleans up the ashes afterwards'. No 'fire' setting. Sorry." Mihoshi sighed. "Are you sure you can't make a fire?"  
  
"How? It's not like-" Tenchi paused, looking down at the floor of the cave until he spotted what he wanted. He picked up two greenish-blue colored rocks. "It's not like you can just randomly pick up a couple of rocks and hit them together, hoping you can make a spark and start a fire."  
  
To prove his point, Tenchi drew the rocks back, then brought them forward to strike one another. Just as they were about to make contact, he heard Mihoshi cry out, "Wait, Tenchi! Don't do it!"  
  
Tenchi was about to ask her what the problem was as the rocks struck one another. A bright red-colored light formed where the rocks contacted, then a wave of heat knocked Tenchi unconscious.  
  
  
The group following the Shihana settled under a thick bow of trees that provided a little shelter. The largest of the water-proof sheets hung above the makeshift encampment. It was spread out, nailed to several of the closer trees and branches in order to hang over the fire that had been made in the center of the encampment. Even as close as they tried to get, only Stargrave and Malgaunt were able to fit completely under the overhead cover. The others had to sit along the edge, hunched in personal-sized waterproof sheets that had been designed for such a purpose. That did little to ease their discomfort.  
  
The atmosphere around the camp was tense, though not as depressing as might have been expected under the circumstances. The remaining five members of the party had said little since Autolycus had left them, choosing instead to remain silent as Ariana led the way, tracking their opponents. Onita mentioned that with the trail Mihoshi's group was leaving behind, even he could have tracked them. He was content to allow Ariana to lead, and subsequently trigger whatever ambushes or traps the opposition might have left behind.  
  
However, there were neither ambushes nor traps to deal with. Nothing impeded their progress, save a lack of light when the suns went down. That did not stop Stargrave at first, he had insisted they try moving through the night, but after falling in the mud for the fourth time in half an hour even the persistent Stargrave had to give up. Besides, the progress they had made was slow during the night and they would move more quickly with rest and light.  
  
Everyone pitched in and helped to make the encampment. Even with their outfits keeping out the chill, the group was grateful for the fire. It made things seems brighter and gave them hope for the next day. The nature of each person's hope differed slightly from the others.   
  
They finished a meal of trail rations, Onita the only one eating them with any enthusiasm. Everyone began to relax and get some rest in preparation for tomorrow's journey, save for Funuyaki, who had drawn the first watch.  
  
As the group settled down, Stargrave shifted slightly, then turned to Malgaunt. "I think we're going to run into Mihoshi and whoever is traveling with her soon. Possibly by tomorrow. I want to know about her. Does she have any vulnerabilities we can exploit? How good is she really? Can we bribe her?"  
  
Malgaunt laughed at that and shook his head. "First Class Detective Mihoshi, before and after the erosion of her abilities, was incorruptible, I assure you."  
  
"Everyone has a price," Stargrave insisted.  
  
"Well, the currency to buy her is not something as material as money or as alluring as power. We won't be able to bribe her. Now as to what she's like..." Malgaunt took a few moments to recall what information he knew. It had been some time since he had gone through personnel files. "She graduated with high marks at nearly the top of the academy. Her first assignment was in one of the rougher sections of Lambada Sector, a very unusual place for a rookie to be assigned, but it had been on an order from the Grand Marshal, who is her grandfather, by the way."  
  
"So she got her job through her family connections?" Ariana asked.  
  
Malgaunt gave a brief shake of his head. "At first, that was what I thought. But the list of criminals she's brought in, many of them single-handed, proves that she belongs in our ranks. Her list of achievements is twice that of most career officers, despite only being a member of the force for a little more than five years. There's nothing she hasn't accomplished. She's brought in serial killers, talked down suicide cases, negotiated hostage situations, foiled terrorists plots, and gotten entire gangs of the most violent thugs to give up without a fight. There was even a case where she managed to break up a cult of over a thousand people that was following a nihilistic megalomaniacal leader that tried to make them commit mass suicide. Of course, in preventing the cultists from killing themselves, Mihoshi somehow got them to begin worshipping her as their new leader, and they began following her. That was a real mess. It took over a month for one of the special divisions of the department to deprogram them. And afterwards the entire unit ended up having to take a vacation from the stress involved in forcing them away from her. From what the reports said, the cultists were hopelessly devoted to her. The whole 'Cult Of Mihoshi' case was one that's still talked about to this day.  
  
"I suppose that was around the time her performance rating started to drop. In the beginning, she was a fine officer, though I had only encountered her at a handful of award ceremonies. I heard odd stories about her in the early days, but you know how rumors circulate. I paid them little mind, and her performance rating remained high. But after the first three and a half years of her career, things began to change. Complaints began to come in. Bills for damage she caused rose. She began to crash her spaceship into things. It was a drop in everything except her arrest rate. That remained high, and she was still able to accomplish the tasks she was assigned, but the manner in which she solved her cases began to cause chaos all around. And the more time that passed, the worse it got. Pretty soon, everyone began to fear working with her. A young up-and-coming officer was assigned to Mihoshi in the hopes that she could somehow mitigate the damage she was causing, while still maintaining the record of arrests. Shortly after joining Mihoshi, Kiyone disappeared and was presumed dead.   
  
"Since she was still completing her assignments, and no one had the guts to fire the Grand Marshal's granddaughter, Mihoshi was relegated to out of the way areas of space where it was presumed she would cause no damage, or at least minimize it. I believe it was successful to some degree. At least I haven't heard any major complaints about her."  
  
"But that doesn't really tell us what she's doing here, or how she's been able to constantly foil our scheme," Stargrave pointed out.   
  
"I haven't got the faintest idea." Malgaunt would have begun pacing to help him think, save for the rain falling outside his cover. He had had enough rain to last him for the next year. "If the Galaxy Police were onto me, and had sent Mihoshi to bring me in, they would never have allowed us to throw Tartarus into Hell's Gate."   
  
"It's been said she's very lucky," Funuyaki mentioned.  
  
Malgaunt openly scoffed at that. "The idea that she somehow stumbled onto us and foiled our scheme through luck is absolutely preposterous." He felt sorrow at his protégé's naiveté. One couldn't put stock in such intangibles as luck. The prepared made their own luck.  
  
"I worked with her once."  
  
All eyes turned to the speaker: Onita.   
  
He had the far-off glint in his eye of someone remembering the distant past. "It was a little less than two years ago, right after she began her slide, near as I can tell. I was assigned to work undercover with her. It was us and some detective named Chancer, who was the guy in charge. We were going to run a trifecta operation on some arms dealers. Chancer was going to pretend to be a negotiator for some outer rim crime lord. I was his muscle, I'm good at acting like hired muscle, and Mihoshi played his bimbo girlfriend. She did that really good, too. I always thought the girlfriend roles were the easiest; the bad guys never suspect them of being dangerous and always make mistakes around the girls. Guys like me always get all the attention because we're supposed to be the dangerous ones, and whenever things go down, all guns get turned to you first. That's why I always like feeling out whoever I'm working with, especially the female officer since they could make the difference between life and death for me."  
  
"So anyway, in the days leading up to the operation I get to talking with Mihoshi. Now I'd been in the service for seven years already, five of them working undercover and nothing else. Now by that time I learned how the system really works, and it wasn't with that idealist crap they feed you in the academy. It's nothing like they say it is. I played rough and tough with a lot of people. I took graft every now and then. Hell, I helped cover up an operation that went bad and a couple of innocents got caught in the crossfire. It was a just a mistake, you know. Why did me and the other guys have to suffer because a couple of people got stupid? I did a lot of stuff that probably would have gotten me thrown off the force if it became public knowledge; I can admit to it. It's what you had to do to survive and keep from going crazy when you work deep covers like I did.   
  
"So anyway, I get to talking with her -aside from planning the op, there wasn't much else to do- and it was funny. She was this bright, happy, cheerful girl that, you know, was kind of bubbly. She wasn't like any other officer I had ever worked with before. At first, I thought she was just preparing herself for the act, but it became obvious real quick that was the way she really was.   
  
"Early on, I didn't know what to make of it, but I listened to what she said. The more she talked about being on the force and what it meant to her, the more I felt like, I don't know. I kind of felt bad. I mean, it was just the way she said things, so bright and optimistic and happy. It kind of made me feel inspired. For the first time since I joined the force, I thought maybe I could serve the public the way they told us in the academy. Maybe I could have made a difference, or at least been like she was instead of the way I was. I think maybe part of me wanted to be more like her. She seemed a lot happier than me.  
  
"Anyway, the operation went down without a problem, except for the weapons being destroyed, and that was no big deal. After it was all over we went our separate ways, and I came back to my senses. It really was stupid, me believing in what she was saying and all. It was just a load of crap." With his story over, Onita seemed less happy than he had before and began staring off into space.  
  
Stargrave thought about what had been said. "If she's still that optimistic, I can see that she would be incorruptible." Stargrave returned his attention to Onita. "And what caused you to thrown in with Malgaunt on this little journey?"  
  
Onita shrugged. "Internal Affairs found some evidence about me taking a bribe. I'd have probably lost my job, except the Marshal stepped in and used some favors to get them off my back. He pulled me from undercover and had me reassigned as his personal aide."  
  
Stargrave seemed satisfied with the answer. He turned to Funuyaki. "So, what's your story for joining up?"  
  
"Mind your own business!" Funuyaki snapped.   
  
The fierceness in her voice caused Ariana to move nearer to Funuyaki. The lieutenant noticed the motion and turned to fully face the enforcer. "Get any closer, and I'll feed you that vibro-sabre that's under your cloak," Funuyaki snarled.  
  
"It would take a better woman than you to do it, GP." Ariana's voice was ice. It matched the look in her eyes.   
  
"Lieutenant Funuyaki was a naughty girl, too."  
  
This time all eyes turned to Malgaunt. Funuyaki shot him an incredulous look. He responded by smiling and shrugging his shoulders as if to say, "It's inevitable, so don't try to fight it." She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of telling the story, so she resisted him the only way she could.  
  
"My story isn't so different from Onita's. I graduated the academy with high marks. At first, I did everything the way they taught me: by the book. My career started off very promising and I received a couple of commendations. After a year on the force, I was promoted to undercover. I had a good partner that helped break me into the job, teaching me the ropes. I learned fast, but not as fast as I thought. He saved my life early on when I made a dumb mistake. He really went out on a limb for me and nearly died, so I kind of felt like I owed him my life. In hindsight, I shouldn't have felt so devoted to him.  
  
"It all started innocently enough. Before, he had always shielded me from some of the things he did. I assumed it was just personal work, but once he felt he could trust me, he let me see what he was really up to. He took bribes. Not a lot, and certainly not over serious crimes, but over petty things that he would look the other way for. I didn't like it -it went against everything I'd been taught- but I owed him my life, and he was trusting me with this. I just couldn't bring myself to turn him in. So I turned a blind eye and let him continue without a complaint."  
  
"It always starts out small," Stargrave said, a satisfied smirk on his lips.  
  
Funuyaki refrained from saying anything. The man was right, after all, and the truth was supposed to hurt sometimes. And she would deny him the satisfaction of seeing her react to his interruption, which was the whole reason behind his speaking. "Yes. It did. After a while, I began running short of money. The Galaxy Police has good benefits but minimal pay, and I've always had problems with managing my finances. I mentioned that to my partner, and he said I could get some of the money as well. At first I resisted, but I admit it didn't take much for him to talk me into it. I think he wanted me involved as additional insurance for him. After all, I couldn't very well turn him in if I was guilty of doing the exact same thing."  
  
"After about a year of that, I was reassigned. I became mobile, working a bunch of different assignments with different partners, all of them good, upstanding officers. My career took off, and I made dozens of arrests and won a chest full of medals and commendations for a job well done. But as time passed, I fell further into debt and further into misery. I mean, I was scraping the absolute bottom of the barrel in money. I have to admit, I was sort of desperate. That's probably why I went along with what happened next.   
  
"A couple of undercover officers I had met in the line of duty approached me with a plan. They thought I would go along with it since they had heard from my first partner that I had taken some bribes and didn't snitch on anyone. I ended up agreeing, because it sounded like a good way to make a lot of money fast. The plan was that we'd use our undercover status to run a scam on some drug dealers. Except it wouldn't be an official case; it would be something we'd be doing freelance. We'd let the criminals go, of course, but we'd be keeping the money that we found at the bust.   
  
"The plan went down just like we hoped, and I ended up with a ton of money. Enough that I swore that I wouldn't pull another heist like that again. I should have known better than to lie to myself like that. The idea that I could actually profit from doing what were essentially good deeds in stopping criminals was too good an opportunity to pass up. We did several other smaller deals and pulled in some extra cash. A couple of times things broke down and we ended up in gun fights, but I never shot anyone that wasn't actively trying to kill me first. And the ones that died were all killers anyway. Someone would have punched their tickets sooner or later, and I kept them from harming anyone else by taking them out, so it really didn't bother me. Things were actually looking pretty good in my life, which, of course, meant something terrible was bound to bring it all crashing down.  
  
"On one of our cases, we used a snitch to help us set up the scam. He was a lowlife dreg and a crook, but we convinced him that it was a legit bust and that we'd arrest him if he didn't help. So he did, and that operation went down without a problem. Complications came up when the snitch contacted me a few months later. Apparently, he somehow found out that it was not an official police bust and that we were doing it on our own. He thought I was the most reasonable of the group and contacted me privately to try to work out a deal to buy his continued silence. God, I felt like my world had come to an end.   
  
"We met in a large city on his homeworld. A nice, dank, back alleyway in the dead of night; the proper place for such underhanded dealing to take place, yes? He was there, smirking at me like the cat that had swallowed the proverbial barchard. And all the time fear gnawed away at me in a way I'd never felt before. Getting gunned down in the line of duty, that I could handle. But to be arrested, dishonored and thrown into prison for the sake of busting a few criminals, that was too much to take. I thought I was going to break down, the stress was eating away at me that bad.  
  
"All the time I was looking at him, I knew the truth. The little rat would never really be bought off. He'd blackmail me to the end of his days, and that I couldn't live with. So I decided to scare him, convince him that I'd kill him if he even breathed a word of this to anyone. I threatened him, but the little shitbag didn't buy it. He was convinced I'd never actually kill him, that I was too nice, in spite of what I had done, and that if I wasn't willing to pay up, he'd contact one of the others and see if they'd cough up the cash. I'd never felt so threatened in my life. And if they didn't, he'd contact the Galaxy Police.  
  
"I've never responded well to threats.   
  
"The snide little bastard turned his back on me and started walking away. I pulled my gun out and tried to give him one last chance to back off, but he didn't even bother to turn around when he told me to go screw myself. I had a choice, and I took it. I shot him. It was easy. I just aimed and pulled the trigger. Shot took him clean in the back of his head. Dead in an instant. Even if he was a scumbag, he didn't deserve to die in pain.  
  
"I was surprised by my composure. There was no fear anymore, just a calm feeling of control. I reacted just like the professional I was. I made it look like a mugging that went bad and immediately headed off-planet. I was terrified for weeks that someone would find out what I had done and arrest me for murder, but no one ever did. The crime was listed as unsolvable, and everyone forgot that little waste of oxygen ever existed." Funuyaki rubbed her temple and smiled. It was the first time she had ever told the whole story to anyone. In an odd way, it felt good to get it off her chest.   
  
Malgaunt was surprised by the confession. He had known about everything but the murder. However, he quickly adapted to it. It was unexpected, but meant nothing in the larger scheme of things. "We got wind of the possibility that someone in the Galaxy Police was using their position to pretend they were on duty and robbing the criminals. My personal investigation led me to the lieutenant and her involvement in the crimes. I knew Funuyaki's record; it impressed me to no end. She was brilliant, with a sharp mind and good intuitive skills. I had actually met her a couple of times, and she had always impressed me on a personal level. With the knowledge that she had proven herself willing to bend the rules as she had, I felt I had at last discovered someone that could be my right hand, and perhaps someday be my successor. Not that I am planning on stepping down any time soon. I have an organization to run shortly, but I want to start on my legacy a little early.   
  
"I approached Funuyaki and made her a deal: if she were to become my subordinate, the evidence against her would disappear, and she'd never have to worry about it again. Needless to say, she accepted. I couldn't be more satisfied with her performance since."  
  
Ariana gave her a tight smile. "You're so underhanded, I could almost admire you."  
  
"As though the compliments of a lapdog impress me."  
  
That brought a scowl to Ariana's features, and she considered taking a swing at Funuyaki and seeing what would come of it. Her plans came to a halt when Stargrave spoke up. "Now, now. Ariana is subordinate to my wishes, but she's anything but a lapdog. We still need to work together, so do calm yourselves."   
  
Ariana shot one last glare at Funuyaki, then relaxed. It was wonderful to hear Stargrave come to her defense like that. It was something he did for few people, even those that met with his approval. Yet over time he had almost always come to her defense first and foremost as well; actions which served to make her burn for him all the more. And now Ariana had figured out so something she could do for him in return. Something that would endear her further to him, and perhaps that day she longed for more than anything else in the universe would come and he would accept her as his lover. But she would have to wait until nightfall to make the attempt, after everyone was asleep. Until then she would have to bide her time and remain impassive until a moment presented itself.  
  
Seeing Ariana relax, Funuyaki did so as well, keeping a small part of her awareness turned to the enforcer. She said to Stargrave, "And what about you and your past?"  
  
Sa'bre Stargrave gave her an amused smile and gently placed a finger to his lips. "Some things should remain secret."  
  
Sensing he would say nothing further about the subject, and that all that was going to be said of the past had been said, the others turned in for a night's sleep, save Funuyaki, who took the first watch. Sleep came to all those on the ground, save one.  
  
  
"Wow! Who would have thought there was Flambanium on this planet?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And who would have thought that of all the stones you were going to pick up to prove your point, it would be the only two pieces Flambanium in the cave?"  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"At least I managed to get a fire going using some of the excess flames you produced."  
  
"I noticed you did that before you put me out."  
  
"Well, you were the one that wanted a fire. I was just trying to help, and it's not like you got burned much."  
  
"I see."  
  
"I have a marker if you want to try and draw your eyebrows back on."  
  
"No thank you!" Tenchi snapped. Having his eyebrows burned off was the only injury he had sustained, but it was a critical blow to his pride. It had been his own fault. He should have known better than to tempt fate like that, but he had been cold and not thinking straight. If he had been thinking more clearly...he probably would have done the exact same thing. But at least it would have been with a clear head.  
  
Seeing Mihoshi had been hurt by his misplaced anger, he quickly moved to mollify her. "I'm sorry. It's not your fault; it's mine. I shouldn't have struck those rocks together. I should have realized there was some form of mineral that would go up like a Roman candle somewhere around here. Hell, if little animals can turn into spaceships, nothing should surprise me anymore."  
  
In spite of his apology, Mihoshi remained downcast. After several moments of silence, she said softly, "I'm sorry I asked you on vacation, Tenchi."  
  
Tenchi thought he knew where this was going. "Hey, this isn't your fault."  
  
Mihoshi continued on, her voice growing louder. "Yes it is. If I hadn't asked you along, if I hadn't given away our extra antenna, if I hadn't taken us off our predesignated course, we wouldn't be in this situation and you wouldn't be having such a bad time."  
  
Tenchi's features softened. He moved closer to Mihoshi, sitting next to her and placing a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Look, I'm glad you asked me on vacation with you. I've really enjoyed the time we've had together. You only gave our extra transmitter to those people because they really needed it and you only took us off course so that we could make up for the time we lost helping those people. You had no way of possibly knowing things would turn out this way. So please quit blaming yourself."  
  
The heartfelt honesty Tenchi gave off won Mihoshi over. Overcome with emotion, she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a powerful hug. For a moment, Tenchi felt the urge to withdraw, then, surprising even himself, he relaxed and embraced her lightly in return.   
  
She withdrew her embrace, considerably happier that she had been. The two began to relax as they prepared themselves for sleep. Mihoshi, still feeling very excited, began talking. "I wonder what Aeka and Ryouko are doing?"  
  
Tenchi was astonished to find that Mihoshi's mention of their names was the first time he had thought about them in the last three days, except for the sausage conversation. Usually, he was lucky if he didn't give them at least a passing thought about once every two hours. "It's hard to say with them. Sometimes they get along fine, other times they just seem to be hell-bent on arguing with one another."  
  
"Yeah," Mihoshi sighed. "It's too bad they do that."  
  
An errant thought came to Tenchi. "You usually try to keep them from fighting, don't you?" Mihoshi might not have had much success at it, but she did try.  
  
"Of course," Mihoshi said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I don't like to see anyone fight, especially when deep down inside they're really friends, like those two are. I see more than enough people fighting in my line of work. If I never saw two people arguing again, it would be all right with me."  
  
"I see." That was a new insight on Mihoshi. Tenchi found the answer simple, but in this case the simplicity of it made it all the more poignant. It impressed him.  
  
The talk of work turned Mihoshi's thoughts to other things. "I wonder how the Grand Marshal is going to react when he finds out Marshal Malgaunt is a traitor."  
  
As he considered that, something in what she said jogged Tenchi's memory. "Isn't the Grand Marshal your grandfather?"  
  
"Yes," Mihoshi said. "He's been the top man of the Galaxy Police for nearly twenty years now."  
  
"It must have made getting on the force pretty easy."   
  
"That's not true!" she shot back with the sound of anger in her voice.  
  
Tenchi found himself taken aback by the intensity of Mihoshi's denial, and that she was actually directing anger in his direction. "I'm sorry. I just assumed that since he was your grandfather and all..."  
  
Mihoshi shook her head furiously. "A lot of people think that because he's family that's how I got my position on the force, but they're all wrong. If anything, it made my graduating the academy even worse."  
  
"How so?" Tenchi hoped she would calm down. There was something about Mihoshi being angry at him that he found very disturbing.  
  
"Because he didn't want me to join the Galaxy Police," Mihoshi explained. "He was dead set against it. He thought I should get into a line of work that was less hazardous. But I wanted to be a police officer more than anything in the galaxy. So I went ahead and enrolled, even over grandfather's objections. Once I got accepted into the academy, he saw to it I had the hardest instructors and was given the most difficult tests so that I'd fail. But I didn't. I refused to lose. I put everything I could into trying really hard and passing everything they could throw at me. And I did it. It wasn't easy. I think maybe it was the hardest time I ever had in my life. But I surprised everyone, even my instructors, by graduating with honors, in spite of everything they tried to do." With her explanation over, Mihoshi relaxed.  
  
Once again, Tenchi found himself impressed by Mihoshi's intensity. "It looks like I underestimated you again. Sorry about that."  
  
"I shouldn't have snapped at you. I just don't like it when people accuse me of having received any special treatment." Once she realized Tenchi did indeed understand, Mihoshi calmed down some more. A yawn escaped her lips. "I think it's time for bed."  
  
"I hear you." Tenchi settled down as well. With a fire going, he wasn't going to have to use Mihoshi's body heat to help keep him warm. Surprisingly, he found a small part of him disappointed in that. But only a very small part.  
  
The two drifted off into a deep slumber within minutes.  
  
It was nearly five hours later, and still several hours before the morning dawn, that the call of nature forced Mihoshi awake. There had been a single instance of her deliberately refusing it and remaining asleep anyway. It was then she learned how difficult it was to remove certain kinds of stains from Galaxy Police uniforms.  
  
Sleep tugged at her eyes, but she refused to give in once more to its siren call. Rising to her feet, she headed towards the mouth of the cave. She had not gotten more than halfway there when she stepped on something soft in the middle of the cave floor. It even gave off an "Umph."  
  
"Sorri Techi," Mihoshi slurred as she walked across him and into the night beyond.  
  
The cold air washed across her face, waking her up a little more. Slightly more aware of her surroundings, she began searching for a good spot to relieve herself. It could not be too close to the cave. Aside from stinking up the place, she didn't want to take a chance of Tenchi peeking. Not that she truly thought he would, but why take the chance?  
  
She found a quiet spot nearly thirty meters away from the cave and shielded by a large amount of foliage. She had unzipped her uniform and peeled the upper half down to her waist, when a sharp blow struck her in the back of the neck. She fell to the ground, unconscious.  
  
"I knew I could track you in the darkness."   
  
Ariana Taguyu had taken a chance in leaving the others right after her guard shift had started, but it had been a necessary risk to end this whole matter before Sa'bre placed himself in danger for the sake of the Shihana. Ariana had been convinced she could resolve everything before Sa'bre and the others awakened. Her skills at tracking were good enough to use even in the middle of the night, and without having the others to drag along, she could make better time. She hurried as quickly as she could, trying to reach the prize while her opponents were hopefully still asleep. She had lost the track once, and was trying to find it again, when she saw the flash of color under the moonlit night. Approaching silently, she had stalked her prey and was delighted to recognize the telltale uniform of a Galaxy Police officer. All it had taken was waiting for Mihoshi to be at her most vulnerable and striking her in the back of the head to bring matters under her control.  
  
Ariana examined her catch. Mihoshi had spun around slightly when she went down and was now lying face up, despite falling forward when she had been hit. Her face could be clearly seen, and Ariana noted that Mihoshi was indeed quite attractive. From what she could see of Mihoshi's revealed torso, she was also in very good shape. Besides those two features, the police officer appeared ordinary in every other way.   
  
A vibro-sabre cleared its scabbard. Ariana leveled the point of it with the center of Mihoshi's chest. It would be best to leave the face intact. Malgaunt would be able to confirm the corpse's identity then. It was not like Ariana would risk awakening Mihoshi just to be certain she had the right person. That sort of detail could be left for later, when they had the time.  
  
"Get away from her now."   
  
The threat was little more than a harsh whisper, but it promised pain if it was ignored. Ariana turned, whirling her small cloak behind her and bringing her vibro-sabre up in a guard position. Her opponent stood no more than five meters away. He was a boy, barely old enough to shave, and was in a guard stance with a weapon in his hands. Ariana could see it was a white hilt with a blade of blue energy projecting from the top of it. There appeared to be no one else present, and the boy bore no other weapons that could be seen.  
  
After subtly looking around one more time to see if she could spot anyone else, and finding no one, she looked more closely at the hilt. Upon making out some of the details on it, Ariana gave a contemptuous laugh. "You think using a laser sword in the shape of the Master Key will make me quake in my boots, boy? It's an old trick. Believe me when I say I've killed inexperienced little punks like you before breakfast just to wake me up."  
  
The barb failed to affect Tenchi. "I said step away from her now, or you won't live long enough to regret it."  
  
Ariana had been confronted with more than enough opponents to properly gauge threat potential; the eyes always separated those that talked of death from those that dealt it. The boy was serious and would try to kill her to protect himself and Mihoshi from harm. A quick switch from one guard position to another elicited the reaction Ariana wanted as Tenchi switched defensive postures as well. She could tell from that one move that the boy was skilled with the sword, but not at her level. It would be a quick fight, taking no more than a couple of parries and a thrust to finish the duel.   
  
Smirking, Ariana closed the distance between the two of them to about ten feet. Her plan was already formulated in her mind. She would come in with a side thrust, forcing the boy to parry the blow. When he did that, there should be a brief second where there would be an opening to an overhead strike that would split his skull in half. A more skilled opponent would be able to protect themselves, or someone slower than Ariana would be unable to pull the move off. But he was not that skilled and she was that fast. It would be over in less than three seconds.  
  
No more words were exchanged as Ariana moved forward and executed the move just as she had visualized it in her mind. She brought her blade in for the side thrust, watching as the boy brought his sword in for a combination parry and strike of his own. She would twist her blade just enough at the moment of the parry to throw him off balance and come in for the kill. She saw the black metal of her vibro weapon meet the blue of the laser sword and...  
  
..watched in shock as the blue energy blade sliced through her weapon as though it didn't exist, severing the vibro-weapon in two. There was no time for Ariana to even consider a defense as the beam of energy came in a sweeping arc into her side and up through her chest, slicing clean through tissue and bone just as effortlessly as it had the metal and low level energy field of the blade. White hot shards of agony cut a trail through her, following the path of the strike. It was over in a second, as the blade finished its cut and nearly severed Tenchi's opponent nearly in half. The world turned black for Ariana, and her last thoughts were of Sa'bre, and that she had failed the man she loved, for now there was no one to warn him of the unsuspecting dangers he faced at the hands of the boy.  
  
And then there was nothing.  
  
  
The blade of energy sizzled through the air as Tenchi finished the follow through on the strike to his opponent. The blow was nearly identical to the one that had killed Kagato save that it had not cut quite as deeply on the woman, though from the results of his blow, it was deep enough. Still, as Tenchi saw the blade slice more cleanly through the woman than it had upon his pale-skinned opponent from so many months ago, a surge of revulsion threatened to overwhelm him. He had seen the blood and bone that the blue blade of energy had cut through, and it nauseated him. When he had driven his sword through Kagato, there had been nothing -not even an obvious wound on his body- before he dissolved into a death so clean and sanitary that it had not even seemed real.   
  
However, the woman's death was nothing so sterile. A spray of blood from the body nearly being severed in half had splashed across the bottom of his outfit, leaving an all too real reminder of what he had just done. The body of Mihoshi's attacker remained where it was, an unmoving sight full of gore. When Kagato's body had disappeared, it had almost been as though he had never existed, and if he had not existed, then Tenchi wouldn't have had to feel guilty about killing him, even if deep within he had known the truth and had lived with it to this day.   
  
It would not be so easy this time. The evidence was there, and even though the woman had intended to kill him -and from the look in her eyes he knew that was precisely what she had been going to do- a wave of guilt shot though him. Again he told himself it had to be done. It was a simple choice that the woman had forced him to make: his and Mihoshi's life or hers. Kagato had forced a similar one and the results had been the same. Tenchi was just going to have to live with what he had done, just like any soldier would on a battlefield. It wasn't easy, but it was a necessary thing.  
  
Putting his thoughts at as much ease as he could for now, Tenchi turned his attention from himself and the dead, to the living. It had been nothing more than luck that had enabled him to come onto the scene just in time to save Mihoshi from the stranger's blade. When she had stepped on him, it had served as a sort of wake up call. And once awake, his body had let him know it was time to relieve himself. So he had gotten up, and started to go in a direction that he hoped Mihoshi had not, when he heard the sound of something heavy hitting the ground. He rushed in the direction of the sound. Expecting the worst, he drew and ignited the Master Key without difficulty this time. Coming upon the scene of the woman standing above Mihoshi, black blade lined up with the fallen girl's chest, a surge of deadly rage had washed over him as he rushed into the clearing and prepared to fight the woman to the death if necessary. And it had been necessary.  
  
But that was over now. Rushing quickly, Tenchi kneeled down beside Mihoshi and checked her pulse. It was steady, and her breathing was regular. There were no outward signs of injuries. All she needed to do was wake up. He prayed she would wake up.  
  
"Mihoshi," Tenchi said softly in conjunction with shaking her slightly. He was rewarded with a gentle, "Ohhh." And Mihoshi's eyes fluttered open. It took several seconds for cognizance to return.  
  
Seeing her eyes holding awareness, Mihoshi-type awareness, which tended to be different from most other people's, Tenchi breathed sigh of relief. "Thank goodness I thought yo-"  
  
"AHHH!" Mihoshi screamed as she hit him with a palm thrust that connected hard with his chin. She rolled out of his grasp and into a standing position next to his stunned form. She quickly pulled the top of her uniform up, covering her revealed flesh. "I can't believe you did that! And I trusted you so much, Tenchi."  
  
Senses just started to return to Tenchi, or so he thought, until hearing the accusation from Mihoshi. "What?"  
  
"I can't believe you'd hit me in the back of my head and try to take advantage of me while I was unconscious!"  
  
"I did not-  
  
"You didn't have to knock me out. If you wanted to have sex, all you had to do was ask."  
  
Tenchi facefaulted. That proved both a mistake and wake up call at the same time.  
  
[Oi there. Did I just hear what I think I heard?]  
  
Tenchi raised himself into a cross-legged position on the ground and tried shutting out the advice from the voice in his head as Mihoshi continued on about how she might not have come on as strong as Ryouko, but she was not as straight-laced as Aeka, and that she was a mature, if still young, woman who was perfectly capable of making important decisions in her life about that sort of thing and who she would like to do it with and what may or may not happen as a result of that sort of behavior.  
  
The speech continued for about five minutes or so with Mihoshi meticulously detailing the reasons as to why she might be willing to engage in that sort of behavior with him. The girl had an eye for detail, and for being thorough, he had to admit.  
  
Once she paused to take a breath, Tenchi finally said, "Actually, it was that woman over there who hit you. She was trying to kill you and me. I had no choice but to kill her instead."  
  
Mihoshi looked in surprise at the body. "Oh. Okay. I'm sorry I accused you of that, then."  
  
"No problem." Besides, it was not a wasted effort on her part. He now had another insight into Mihoshi's mind. He wasn't sure if he could actually understand it, but he was pretty sure he could sort out the important bits and make sense out of them.  
  
Mihoshi straightened up. "We'd better get back to the cave. There might have been more than one, and the others might be trying to steal that big orb."  
  
"I hadn't thought of that." Tenchi rose to his feet and activated the Master Key. Again it worked. The little problem he had with powering up the blade back at the pass seemed to be behind him now as he had the flow of energy and concentration problems finally beaten.   
  
"Let's go." Mihoshi began to head towards the cave.  
  
Moving through the gloom, they carefully searched the area before ascertaining no one was there. After determining that there would be no more ambushes, the two headed for the cave.   
  
Once they were within ten feet of the entrance, Tenchi began to speak. "I think we'd better..." He trailed off as he heard a gentle unlocking noise come from the direction of the orb. For some odd reason, the smooth surface of the polynison had begun to retract, the top pulling back and gathering around the bottom. He stood transfixed as it continued opening until the top half had retracted and the contents within the orb could be clearly seen at last.  
  
A small metal platform, no bigger than a meter wide, sat in the bottom of the sphere. A mechanical device was on the bottom of a the small platform, evidently creating the small rippling flow of blue-hued yet transparent energy that formed a dome over the true contents of the orb. Tenchi recognized it as a stasis field, something Washuu had pointed out to him one of the times he dared to venture into her lab without others accompanying him.  
  
"You mean all of this is for some funny looking flower?" Tenchi said, staring at the brightly-colored foot tall plant.  
  
Mihoshi's reaction was to visibly pale as she fell to her knees in shock at the impossible image before her. There was only the faintest of whispers upon her lips, but it was loud enough for Tenchi to hear.  
  
"Shihana."   
  
  
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
Sorry that one took so long to do. Serves me right for proudly proclaiming it would probably only take me two weeks to get it out. No guarantees for the next one  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	9. chapter 9

"Well, now that we've destroyed the evil undersea monster and freed the population of the planet that was held in thrall by it, what do you want to do?"   
  
"Burn all of my clothing. I still smell like seafood. And if you make even one passing reference about the smell of parts of my anatomy in relation to that, I will have Azaka and Kamadaki hold you in a forcefield from now until the day you die."  
  
"The thought never crossed my mind, Princess."  
  
"But since you frequently speak without thinking, it could still pass from your lips."  
  
"Miya miya."  
  
"No, Ryo-Ohki. I don't feel like eating any fried 'Dweller of the Deep'. Thank you anyway."  
  
A soft sigh of relief echoed throughout the ship. It had been easy for Ryo-Ohki to see which direction the conversation was taking, and she didn't like it one bit. By distracting Aeka, she had diverted the potential argument, as well as taking care of the subsequent damage that would have resulted to her interior. Even keeping themselves in check, Ryouko and Aeka's fights were still as discomforting as a bad case of carrot-induced heartburn.  
  
Lacking any desire for another sparring match, Ryouko let the subject drop as well. After being declared eternal heroes by the freed population, and having several statues dedicated to themselves erected, Aeka and Ryouko had headed out at once to locate another possible planet where Tenchi might be. Now that she had a chance to give her full attention to flying, Ryouko moved back to the ship's controls and ordered Ryo-Ohki to drop out of hyperspace. Once the cabbit did so, Ryouko began scanning the system.   
  
A series of images flashed across the screen almost faster than the eye could follow. "Odd. The system this waterworld is in is pretty far off the beaten path, but I'm detecting a large ship only two million kilometers away. It's preparing to leave the system," Ryouko informed Aeka.  
  
"They might be able to tell us if they've seen Mihoshi and Tenchi around here. Hail them." Aeka felt excitement begin to fill her. There was hope in the air; there could be no mistake about it. She could just feel that the ship would know something. It was like a premonition.   
  
Ryouko lacked Aeka's blind faith. "They're getting ready to leave. I doubt if they're going to stop."  
  
"Just try it."  
  
Shrugging, Ryouko sent a signal. After several moments, she said, "Nope. Nothing."  
  
"Tell them that Aeka, royal princess of Jurai, is ordering them to stop. That will work."  
  
Ryouko snorted in derision. "I've got news for you, your highness. Most people don't really give a damn who's running the Empire, let alone that some junior member of the royalty feels like trying to strut her stuff. I know I sure as heck wouldn't stop."  
  
"Just do it," Aeka huffed.  
  
"All right." Ryouko sent the signal. Just as she was certain the ship was about to jump, it took its hyperspace drive off-line and turned towards Ryo-Ohki. "Well, I'll be. It actually worked."  
  
Aeka smirked in the way only those that had been treated as royalty all of their life could. "I told you so." The smirk stayed right where it was as the other ship approached.   
  
The smirk irritated Ryouko enough that she considered making some cutting comment about Aeka's figure, but with some effort, she restrained herself and said, "Strange, they're not hailing us. And have you ever seen a ship design like that before? It looks like a large molehill. A really, really large molehill."  
  
"No, I have not," Aeka said. "But there is no need to worry. They are undoubtedly drawing closer so that they may bask in my august personage."  
  
The giant spaceship drew closer until it filled the main viewscreen. Over Ryo-Ohki's loudspeaker, a gravelly voice said, "Repent your numerous sins and prepare for death, royal scum."  
  
Aeka paled as Ryouko said, "Hey, they seem to know you pretty well. Are you sure you've never met them before?"  
  
The Yagdagron dreadnought targeted all of its weapons on Ryo-Ohki and opened fire.  
  
  
  
Vacation Days  
Chapter 9  
  
  
A Tenchi Muyo! Fic  
This uses the OVA continuity.   
  
Any and all C+C craved for. You can contact me at  
sommer@3rdm.net  
  
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Tenchi Muyo! materials   
  
All of my stuff is now stored at:  
http://angcobra.jumpfun.com/dbsommer.html  
  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
Four figures, moving silently as ghosts, cut a trail through the verdant forest. The largest figure was in the lead, periodically squatting down to examine something on the ground. After a few moments of close study, it would begin moving stealthily again while the others followed close behind. The process was repeated like that for several hours before the quartet at last stopped, spotting the body of a woman that lay sprawled out in the middle of a small clearing. Three of the figures began to make a circuit of the area while the fourth remained where it was, staring at the body. The fallen woman's eyes stared glassily towards some point in the sky above, marking it as a corpse. As the remaining figure looked at the center of the clearing, it tried to make sense of something it felt in the air. It had just figured out what it was when the other three returned.   
  
"The area's secure." Malgaunt holstered his sidearm as he examined Stargrave closely. The man hadn't moved since he'd spotted Ariana's body.  
  
The words seemed to return Stargrave to awareness as he moved forward and kneeled by Ariana's side. He had seen people die before and in more grotesque manners -he had been the one responsible for them, occasionally- but only one other death had moved him like this.   
  
Ariana had served him faithfully, one of only a handful of people he fully trusted with his life. She had been with him since the early years, a constant companion through everything no matter how dark the times became. She was one of the few people he had been looking forward to sharing his rewards with once they overthrew the Jurai; it would have amused him to give her the position in the court currently held by the Empress Misaki. There would have been a sort of irony in that, or so he had believed. He suspected she would have enjoyed it as well, especially since the role would have represented such a contrast from the station she had been born to and nearly had to live in for the rest of her life. Also, it would have amused him to see others treating a one-time pirate the same as they had a much-vaunted empress. Given the regard he had for the royal family, pirates were infinitely preferable. Now those dreams for faithful Ariana were all for nothing.  
  
His thoughts turned to the woman herself. Stargrave had known Ariana was interested in him, but had never accepted her offers of the flesh. He had been satisfied the platonic nature of their relationship, and that sort of joining would have risked upsetting it forever, especially since he was almost certain he didn't love her. Not that he had any time for love. Considering his own origins, there was little more repellent to him than using a woman as nothing more than a tool for sex. Among the criminal element, sexual activity was frequently a standard of measure, like the number of scars one had or the bounty on their heads. He had kept his own lack of romantic partners a secret, not that most people had not already assumed he had been sleeping with Ariana, given the close nature of their relationship. Now he was regretful that they had not lain with each other at least once; she had deserved to have what she wanted at least one time. But now it was too late. Neither of them would ever know the soft caress of affection from the other.   
  
And now he was reduced to staring at her body. It had been easy to figure out what she had done and where she was going. The instant Stargrave awakened, and realized that it was Ariana who had failed to wake up the next person for their watch, her actions had become clear. The group had quickly gathered their few belongings and set out. Onita started following the sets of tracks through the woods, slower than Ariana had, but at a decent pace. That it had finally stopped raining shortly after they set out helped in the tracking. It had only taken them several hours before they discovered the scene before them now, although Stargrave had known she would be there before they actually came upon the area. It had to do with that familiar feeling that lingered in the air.   
  
"Ah, Ariana. Why couldn't you have waited for us?" Stargrave broke the silence as his fingers delicately traced the path of the wound that had nearly severed her in half. Yes, it was exactly the type of mark he had suspected it would be. That confirmed his suspicions as to what the odd sensation was that he had felt right before coming upon the scene. Now that he thought about it, he recalled that there had been a faint impression of the sensation at the pass in the mountains, but he had been so worked up at the time that he had failed to notice it. However, here the feeling called out like a supernova in deep space. And the unique characteristics of it could only come from one thing. Of that he was certain.  
  
"Your death was not in vain, sweet lady. I now know for certain what the opposition is. And now that I'm prepared, they cannot stop me. You have my thanks. I shall miss you." The eulogy was short, which is how Ariana would have wanted it. She was essentially a simple person with simple desires. His fingers gently closed her eyelids. Without looking over his shoulder, he told the others, "I would like to be alone with her for a while."  
  
"We'll search the area for their trail," Malgaunt said, giving Stargrave the distance he wanted, though his excessively emotional attitude surprised Malgaunt. He hadn't though the pirate cared that much for the woman. "Don't take too long. If we hurry, we might catch up to them by today. They can't have that much of a headstart on us."  
  
"Of course," Stargrave said without a hint of emotion as he continued to remain sitting where he was, thinking about the past. He too was surprised at the sadness and anger that he felt. It was not the overwhelming rage he held for the emperor, but it affected him all of the same. Of all the people he had lost over the years, mostly members of his organization since he did not really have many of what he considered friends, Ariana's was affecting him the most by far. Again he had to ask himself why that was so.  
  
There were no answers to his questions before his thoughts were interrupted by Malgaunt's cry of rage. Stargrave shot to his feet and headed in the direction of the noise, although he suspected what the cry of such anguish was for. As Sa'bre came upon the scene, he saw that his guess had been correct.  
  
Malgaunt was looking over every inch of the empty polynison container, shouting out, "This just isn't possible!"  
  
"It is," Stargrave informed him in a calm voice. As much as he liked Malgaunt, it was nice to have one up on him for a change. Even Stargrave acknowledged the marshal was annoyingly pompous when he thought he knew more than someone else did, which could be a good portion of the time, depending on the situation.  
  
"How?!" Malgaunt shouted, his self-control completely gone. "Do you know how difficult it is to artificially duplicate the energy signature necessary to open that thing up?"  
  
"It wasn't artificial," Stargrave informed him, keeping the calm, collected tone to his voice. It was amazing how Ariana's death was influencing him. He found that even his obsession with the Shihana had been blunted, for there was no anger at the flower not being there. He had felt angrier upon seeing her body.  
  
Malgaunt calmed down as he weighed Stargrave's words. "You're absolutely certain?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But he can't possibly be here."  
  
"I don't think he is," Stargrave said. "I think it's someone else. Someone like me, though don't ask me how he, or she, possibly came to be here." Ideas were already forming in Stargrave's mind as to how to possibly take advantage of the new situation. What he needed was more information.  
  
Malgaunt's mind raced as well. "Be that as it may, I have some ideas on how to resolve the Mihoshi situation. Obviously, we need to change tactics, and I think I've come up with just the solution." Malgaunt smiled to himself. The plan had come to him in the moment right before he had drifted off to sleep the night before. It really was quite brilliant in its simplicity. He was certain it would work, even taking into account all of the other plans that had failed him of late.  
  
"We're going to have to be careful," Stargrave warned. "That stasis field around the Shihana is far too easy to destroy. All it would take is one stray laser bolt and we're history."  
  
"Good point," Malgaunt agreed. "I assure you, my plan involves only the minimal amount of force for maximum effect. Two shots should be all we'll need, even with this new knowledge you've uncovered. But first, I want to make sure there are only two of them and see if I can confirm the identity of the person traveling with Mihoshi. I don't think it will matter, but I want every variable accounted for."  
  
"One way or another, I think it's going to end soon," Stargrave said.  
  
"One way or another," Funuyaki finally broke her silence as she agreed with a smile.  
  
  
"We have to hurry!" Tenchi insisted as he and Mihoshi pulled the anti-gravity sled. In the early hours of the morning they had set out as quickly as they could in order to try to outrun whomever else was pursuing them, and Tenchi was certain there were more. After Mihoshi had explained to him what the flower was (twice, for Tenchi had thought for certain that she was wrong about it being so devastating), he had become more determined than ever to see to it that the Shihana did not fall into the wrong hands. He could not fail. Entire races, possibly even Earth's, were relying on him to protect them from the terrible genocidal power that the flower possessed.   
  
And still their flight seemed to crawl along. Tenchi could feel their pursuers racing up behind them, closing the distance. It was like an itch at the back of his neck that he couldn't scratch. Frustration tore at him as he urged the sled faster.  
  
"Tenchi, you might want to slow down," Mihoshi warned.  
  
Tenchi shook his head fiercely, as though that would somehow increase their speed. "We can't. We can't afford to even slow down. We have to keep going no matter what."  
  
"But Tenchi, I think something's wrong. There's smoke pouring from the sled."  
  
"What?!" Tenchi exclamation was followed by several sparks shooting up from the sled, which then fell to the ground like a rock. That was followed by an even larger shower of sparks that prevented Tenchi or Mihoshi from drawing too near the makeshift vehicle. Just as suddenly as it started, the flash of electricity stopped and all that was left was the lingering smell of ozone in the air.  
  
After prying off a panel, which released an acrid cloud of black smoke right into her face, Mihoshi coughed and gave Tenchi a sad look. "Overload on the main circuitboard. It's not going anywhere."  
  
"We have to keep moving," Tenchi protested. He bent down and tried to drag the sled, but without the benefit of the anti-gravity field, it proved too much for him to move more than several inches.  
  
Seeing Tenchi trying so hard, and running the risk of throwing out his back, Mihoshi reexamined the still smoldering heap of metal. "Well, I could try to fix it by rerouting some of the power cables." Her voice held no real hope. There was virtually no way a simple reroute would supply sufficient energy to power the sled, but she couldn't just stand by while Tenchi risked hurting himself in his futile efforts.  
  
Tenchi noticed the lack of confidence in her voice as well, but doing something was better than nothing. He agreed to stand by and help her in whatever manner he could. His eyes turned back in the direction they had just come from. There was a feeling deep inside that somehow, some way, things were going to come to a head shortly.  
  
  
A continuous series of voices ran through Stargrave's mind: Autolycus's warnings. Ariana's devotion. Fera's fearless acceptance of any risks. Yoost's various complaints. Pupei's continuous frustration at his inability to control his anger. It was remarkable how easily he had taken his crew for granted so easily. While it was true that not everyone he knew was dead, not even everyone close to him, still it seemed too many familiar voices were now silenced and would never be heard from again. The whole situation felt almost exactly as Autolycus had said: it was all a waste.  
  
That wasn't true, of course. They were playing for the greatest stakes of all: Galactic Domination. The risks were great, regardless of how meticulously everything had been planned. Any part of the plan could have been doomed to failure, and the crew could have been captured or killed. They knew it, and they had still placed their lives in his hands. They had wanted the prize too, and it was still within his grasp. Wasted? Only if Stargrave failed would their lives have been wasted. Still, he found himself missing nearly all of them. All that remained was Malgaunt now, a friend and accomplice, but not a member of Stargrave's crew. And still the end of the chase had yet to come. More death was sure to follow: it was just a question of who was next. After all, with the Shihana involved, it could be everyone instead of just anyone.  
  
Still, there was a part of Stargrave's mind that clung to hope. If the person that was traveling with Mihoshi was what Stargrave thought he was, perhaps a deal could be struck. It might be something of a longshot, but he found himself wanting to take the chance. It would be comforting to know he was not the only one of his kind in the universe. For all that his hate sustained him against the Jurai, and specifically the emperor, there were occasions where loneliness was a companion as well.   
  
Thinking of loneliness triggered thoughts of Ariana once more. Even though he was over the worst of her loss, or so he kept telling himself, it still seemed to nag at the back of his mind. He found himself wanting to talk to Autolycus and have the gray mound of flesh spout off advice that Stargrave would either scoff at or consider. But he was gone too. Perhaps there were some losses that were irreplaceable after all.   
  
However, it was too late to go back now, and no matter how much remorse he felt over his losses, revenge still strode along at his side. All he had to think of was the past, and the fires would be stoked once again. Tempered by loss, but still roaring all the same. The path of his desires might have been paved with regrets, but there was no path he could have taken that lacked regrets. Inevitabilities were something even Sa'bre Stargrave, for all of his power, could not avoid.  
  
A figure burst out from the foliage in front of the trio, bringing them to an abrupt halt.. Malgaunt and Funuyaki tensed for the briefest of moments before identifying the figure.  
  
Onita began his report. "I've spotted them. They're not more than a half mile through the trees over there. They're in a clearing. It looks like they were traveling with an anti-grav sled, and it's broken down."  
  
"Do they still have the Shihana?" Malgaunt asked.  
  
"Yes, Sir. It's out in the open and everything. Only the stasis field is still around it." Onita paused for a second, as though weighing whether or not he should say something. After a moment, he decided. "I have to admit, being next to something that nasty made me a little scared. I don't mind dying, but not like that, you know what I mean? We've got to be careful."  
  
"Oh, we will. We will." Malgaunt rested a hand on Onita's shoulder. A comforting gesture, which worked as the tension flowed out of the large man.   
  
Feeling his success, Malgaunt removed his arm from his subordinate and turned so that everyone could see him at once. He kept his voice low, so that it wouldn't carry, yet modulated it so the others would hear the intensity of his every word. "Here is what we'll do." He turned to Sa'bre. "This part of the plan calls for you to remain out of sight. It has to be only myself, Funuyaki, and Onita who go forward and into the clearing."  
  
"I thought we'd try to outflank them and rush them all at once," Onita said.  
  
Funuyaki remained silent. She thought she had figured out what Malgaunt's plan was, but wanted to hear him say it first. She would look like a fool if she was wrong, despite knowing she was nothing of the sort. She began to mentally make her plans accordingly. One way or another, it was all coming to an end.  
  
Malgaunt gave a broad smile. "Nonsense, my boy. We're going to walk right up to First Class Detective Mihoshi and say hello. After all, she's expecting to be rescued, and who better to be rescued by than her most trustworthy compatriots in the Galaxy Police? We wouldn't want to disappoint her, now would we?"  
  
Even Funuyaki was taken aback by the look of pure malice on Malgaunt's face. It was the plan she had thought it would be, though. It appeared she thought more like the marshal than she would have cared to admit. With that plan laid out, now she was certain.  
  
It was time for an ending.  
  
  
It took the quartet nearly fifteen minutes to get into position. They had traveled as silently as they could in approaching Mihoshi, not wanting to alert her or her companion before they were ready to deal with them. Malgaunt went over the exact details of the plan one final time before they commenced with the operation. He spoke to Funuyaki primarily, since he was relying more on her, while allowing Onita to take a back-up position.  
  
"We'll emerge slowly from the trees, just to make sure they don't get trigger happy and shoot us before identifying us. After we're safely in the clearing, I'll take charge and draw their attention while the two of you move into position. Onita, stand off to the side so you don't look suspicious. Funuyaki, move close to the boy so that you can get off a quick shot. Make certain you are in-between him and the Shihana. I don't want to take a chance of your shot going through him and hitting that field. Make certain you're close enough to not miss. He's incredibly dangerous and you need to take him out before he knows what's going on. You may very well only get one shot, and if you fail, it might be the end for us all. The signal to open fire will be 'Nice job, Officer'. Onita, you're backup. If Funuyaki doesn't drop him in the first shot, you finish him. And make certain you're not in line with the Shihana either. Leave Mihoshi to me. I'll maneuver her away from the plant and take care of her personally. With any luck, we'll have the Shihana safely in our grasp within the next five minutes."  
  
"And myself?" Stargrave asked.  
  
"Just stay out of sight. If Mihoshi identifies you, the whole plan will fall apart." A sympathetic expression crossed Malgaunt's features. "Don't worry. We'll take care of everything."  
  
"I'd like to circle around behind the group," Stargrave said. "Just in case something goes wrong, I can attack from the opposite direction. After all, with what we know of the boy, you might need it."  
  
"You seem to know something about him," Funuyaki said, "Just how dangerous is he?"  
  
"Dangerous enough that you had better not miss," Malgaunt said, emphasizing everything while explaining nothing.  
  
"I'll be sure to stay out of sight." Stargrave assured him.  
  
"As long as we take him by surprise, there shouldn't be any problem," Malgaunt pointed out, although there was little force in what almost sounded like a command.   
  
"I think we'd both rest easier if I was close at hand. Still, I'll give you my gun, just to ensure there are no accidental shootings." With that decided, Stargrave handed his remaining weapon to Malgaunt. He then gave a brief nod to Onita. For the last, he turned his attention to Funuyaki. "Best of luck to you."  
  
Funuyaki stared at the man suspiciously. There was something in the way he said that that put her on edge. Still, it was too late to back out of the plan now. "My thanks," she said simply and waited to see what his response was.  
  
It consisted of nothing more than a bow to all of them before moving quietly into the underbrush and out of sight. Malgaunt gave him a five minute head start. As he rose to a standing position, he straightened out his outfit as best he could, considering the abuse it had taken in the last few days. That was the one hole he was aware of in his plan. If Mihoshi examined his and the others' outfits closely, it would show that they had not just come down from a rescue ship as Malgaunt would explain. However, even if she was suspicious, he was her Marshal, and Mihoshi was an obedient officer. He was above reproach. She would obey him right up until the moment she died. Perhaps he would even issue that order right after he gave Funuyaki the signal to open fire.   
  
Taking a deep breath, Malgaunt led the others towards the clearing. With a slow and careful step he moved down the trail, making enough noise so that Mihoshi and her companion would hear them approaching long before they made it into view. Malgaunt spoke to his two companions in a casual voice, hoping it would relax the prey. Within moments the trio emerged from the brush, about thirty feet away from the Mihoshi and Tenchi. Once again they laid eyes upon the object they had risked all for.  
  
Malgaunt and the others stopped as they saw Mihoshi gasp in surprise at them. She was standing right next to the Shihana, just as he had feared. Making her leave the side of the plant was the first thing that had to be done. The marshal cleared his throat and straightened his back, taking the posture of a superior about to meet a subordinate for the first time. If Mihoshi's training kicked in, she should salute him and do likewise. After she identified who he was and what rank he held, the rest would be simplicity itself.   
  
"Greetings, First Class Detective Mihoshi. We've-" Malgaunt stopped abruptly as he stared at the sidearm now leveled at him. For one brief second he lost his composure. Then the moment passed and he attempted to regain control of the situation that he had somehow managed to lose without even realizing it. "See here, Detective. I know you've been missing for a while, but it hasn't been long enough that you should be unable to recognize me."  
  
Mihoshi kept her gun leveled at Malgaunt. "I do recognize you, Sir. I'm placing you under arrest for betraying the Galaxy Police, conspiracy to commit criminal acts, attempted murder, aiding and abetting known felons, and a whole bunch of other things when I find out what else you've done. Now put up your hands!"  
  
Again, Malgaunt found himself completely at a loss. He had suffered from more surprises in the last five days than he had in the last five years. It defied possibility, yet not only had his perfect plan been ruined within the first few seconds he had executed it, but again he found himself confronted with a situation that he had completely failed to anticipate.   
  
The look of total conviction in Mihoshi's eyes was all that was needed to convince Malgaunt that she knew the truth and that no amount of fast talking was going to get him out of the predicament. There was only one thing left he needed to ask. "How did you know?"  
  
Mihoshi's aim didn't waver. "The Katasan that tried to shoot me confessed right before she died. She told me everything about how you and the others betrayed us. I can't believe you'd work with criminals to try to get your hands on this." She tilted her head slightly towards the Shihana. "What you've done is unthinkable."  
  
Racing at unbelievable speeds, Malgaunt's mind evaluated the situation. There had to be some way out. He just needed to keep Mihoshi talking until he could figure out how. "I think you're being a bit judgmental, my dear." He drew out the phrase slowly, trying buy as much time as he could.  
  
Malgaunt's eyes scanned over everything. He watched as Tenchi drew closer to Mihoshi, obviously intending to protect her from harm. That subtle action suddenly gave the marshal an idea on how to resolve the whole situation. He could not count on Stargrave being able to bail them out; there was too much of a chance of something going wrong and the Shihana being either destroyed or released. It was all going to come down to Funuyaki and her razor-sharp mind. If she was paying close attention, and anticipated what Malgaunt was going to do for her, there was still a chance to get out of their predicament.  
  
"I assure you, it's all a great misunderstanding. You see, I'm really on an undercover assignment to track the Shihana." The lie was weak, but it was the best he could come up with the pressure he was now under. As he continued weaving his poor fabrication, he moved with excruciating slowness to position his body so that he shielded Funuyaki's right side from Mihoshi and her companion.  
  
The side her laser pistol was on.  
  
If Funuyaki picked up on the slow movement, she should be able to figure out what he was trying to do. The lieutenant was a crack shot. Once her sidearm was clear of its holster, it would take was less than half a second for her to bring her gun up over his shoulder and take Mihoshi down. The boy lacked any kind of a firearm, and though tensed, seemed to be satisfied with allowing Mihoshi to take command of the situation. Even if the boy was like Stargrave, it would presumably take him a couple of seconds to react to the first shot, and by that time both Malgaunt and Funuyaki would have taken him down. Just so long as they didn't miss and strike the Shihana.  
  
The soft sounds of a gun being drawn just caught the edge of Malgaunt's hearing. He tensed and spoke louder to cover up the sound. It would take only a moment for Funuyaki to prepare herself to fire. He could sense the gun being raised behind him and mentally prepared to draw his own gun. In only another moment, he would hear the sounds of...  
  
"It's over, Malgaunt."  
  
Malgaunt stiffened as every other thought was driven from his mind. Through gritted teeth, he growled, "Just what do you think you're doing, Lieutenant?"  
  
Funuyaki took a step back so she could bring her gun to bear on Onita, should he make any sudden movements. "What I should have done from the beginning. This farce is over. You're going to jail forever, you bastard."  
  
"Why you," Onita started to growl until he found the barrel of the pistol swung in his direction for a moment before it was brought to bear on Malgaunt again. The message was clear to Onita: I'm fast enough to shoot you before you draw your gun, so don't even think about it. The large man remained where he was, but remained tense and ready, continually looking for any possible openings he could exploit  
  
The sudden turn of events confused Mihoshi for a moment; one of the criminals wasn't acting like a criminal anymore. Training began to take over once again when conscious thought failed. "You put down your gun too, Lieutenant! No one is allowed to have any guns but me and Tenchi. And he doesn't have one, so that means it's just me." She would shoot Funuyaki if she made any sudden moves towards her or Tenchi, but some instinct in Mihoshi made her doubt that would happen. Still, it could be a trap too. Mihoshi remained uncertain of what to do.  
  
"I can't do that at the moment," Funuyaki said as she kept the pistol pointed at the back of Malgaunt's head. All the man would need was a split second to draw his gun. She couldn't take her eyes off him for more than the length of a breath. "Stargrave, come on out! I know you're out there, and unarmed! Give up!"  
  
"Sa'bre Stargrave's here?" Mihoshi looked around slightly while keeping her gun trained on Funuyaki.  
  
Malgaunt started to turn around only to be ordered by Funuyaki to keep his eyes forward. It was a wise precaution on her part. If he couldn't see her, he couldn't know what she was doing. Still, there was a factor that even Funuyaki had failed to take into account. "You still haven't answered my question, Lieutenant."  
  
Funuyaki was surprised to hear the tone of betrayal in Malgaunt's voice. How little he truly knew of her. "I'm taking you in."  
  
Malgaunt scoffed at that. "After all that you've done? Don't be naive. It ill suits you There's no way they won't execute you."  
  
Funuyaki surprised herself by laughing, a deep, rich laugh. She wasn't sure if it was at herself or Malgaunt. "Do you really think that makes a damn bit of difference to me anymore? You're so ridiculously stupid. All caught up in your belief that you know how everything works and how everyone feels that you think you're so fucking perfect that you can't tell when things are really falling apart all around you."  
  
As miserable as Malgaunt had felt when the Shihana had repeatedly escaped him, as despondent as he had felt when the Yagdagron dreadnought and the Rack N'Ruin had been destroyed and they had been stranded on the planet, as wretched as everything had gotten and as disconsolate as he felt when all of his plans had fallen apart, nothing made him feel more depressed than Funuyaki's betrayal. The depths of it surprised him as much as Ariana's loss had affected Stargrave.  
  
Anger trickled into Malgaunt's voice as he said, "Do you honestly believe I'd betray you? Is that what this is about? I meant what I said. I wanted you to be my protégé. My legacy. You could have ruled the Galaxy Police one day. The entire Galaxy Police. You would never have had to worry about money again. You'd have been wealthy beyond your wildest imaginations. You'd have wielded more power than you could ever have dreamed of in a hundred years of service to the Galaxy Police now. You idiot! You're throwing it all away." His voice was almost pleading towards the end, as though he would accept her apology if she offered one.  
  
No apology came. Funuyaki's eyes began to tear and her voice trembled as she spoke. "You bastard. You honestly think you know me? I may be a lot of things. I'm a thief. I'm a traitor. I'm a killer that's gunned down innocent people. I'm worse than the scum I bring in because at least criminals can be honest about what sort of shit they are instead of hiding behind a badge like me. But even as rotten as I might be, I am not a some kind of genocidal mass murderer. Do you honestly believe I could ever sleep again, knowing I'd helped bring about the deaths of billions upon billions of lives? Do you think money, or power, or glory could ever erase that from my mind? You think I want to be someone like you, who wouldn't think twice about erasing a few races from the face of the galaxy? I'd sooner die then ever allow myself to become something like you."  
  
The sound of clapping from directly behind Funuyaki almost made her turn away from Malgaunt. Instead, she only swiveled her head ever so slightly so that she could see who it was, though she knew there was only one person it could be. Sure enough, Sa'bre Stargrave slowly came into view, though it was from the direction in which she and the other officers had come.  
  
"You were supposed to have circled around the other side," Funuyaki said, repositioning herself far enough away from Malgaunt so that she could shoot any of the three people before her.  
  
Stargrave gave her a smile. "Believe it or not, I rather thought you'd try something like this. I was suspicious when you refused Autolycus's offer to leave with him. Over the course of the last two days I became increasingly convinced you were up to something. Nice to see I was right."   
  
"I recognize you," Mihoshi said from her position next to the Shihana. "You're Sa'bre Stargrave, the fourth most wanted criminal in the galaxy. You're under arrest too. Everyone is under arrest. Lieutenant, throw down your gun or I might be forced to do something not very nice to you."  
  
"I can't do that," Funuyaki insisted.  
  
Stargrave gave a brief glance towards Mihoshi, then focused his attention upon Tenchi. Towards the younger boy, he gave a wider smile. Tenchi wasn't sure what to make of the gesture, for as Stargrave smiled, he felt the oddest sensation pass over him, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Suddenly, Tenchi found his attention transfixed upon the man who vaguely reminded him of someone he knew. Someone familiar.  
  
Stargrave returned his attention to Funuyaki and took a step towards her. She responded by leveling her gun at him while trying to keep an eye on both Malgaunt and Onita at the same time. Both of her former associates looked at her with increasing anger.  
  
"Let me handle this," Stargrave said to Malgaunt's back.  
  
Malgaunt cast a glance over his shoulder. "Are you sure you want to?"  
  
"You've had your shot. Now it's my turn." He took another step towards Funuyaki.  
  
There was something unspoken that had passed between Malgaunt and Stargrave. Funuyaki was put on edge even more than before and looked the pirate over closely a second time, risking letting her attention drift completely away from Malgaunt. She knew Stargrave wasn't even armed, but despite that, Funuyaki's danger senses were going off all at once and so hard that they were nearly causing her to panic. Tired of the situation and suppressing the urge to shoot all three of the men outright, she shouted. "Everyone raise their hands!"   
  
"That's my line," Mihoshi said, now keeping her gun mostly on Funuyaki. Since she was the only one with a weapon drawn, she was the most dangerous. Or at least that was the way it seemed. There was something about Stargrave that was disturbing her, and she had to fight back the urge to point her gun at him.  
  
Stargrave did as he was told, holding his hands before him rather than above his head, allowing Funuyaki to see there was nothing in either of them. But the smile he gave her was that of someone who had his prey right where he wanted.   
  
Funuyaki noticed the expression as well, and was contemplating what game Stargrave was playing as Onita began to slowly raise his hands at last. Just as his hands rose to right above his shoulder level, one of them darted behind the back of his collar and whipped out a slender dagger that he kept concealed in a neck sheath. Reflexively, she fired at Onita even as the blade left his hand. A laser bolt took him high in the forehead and went straight through, but the dagger had already been released. It flashed through the air end-over-end, and buried itself in Funuyaki's left shoulder.   
  
The sudden rush of pain was more than enough to throw off Funuyaki's concentration as her gun ended up pointed at the ground. Her heart quickened as she knew that there would now be more than enough time for Malgaunt to shoot her in the head, chest, and little toe if he so desired. Still, she fought through the pain as quickly as she could and brought her gun to bear on Malgaunt once more. Much to her surprise, he had not moved in the least; his hands were even still in the air.   
  
"That's it! Throw down your weapon!" Mihoshi shouted as her finger tightened on the trigger and she aimed her pistol at Funuyaki's chest. Even if the woman had been acting in self-defense, her holding a weapon had still helped contribute to the heightened tensions in the area. And if anyone even made one aggressive move towards Mihoshi, she was going to shoot.  
  
No one did. The remaining trio of people openly paid little attention to Mihoshi, despite the fact she had a gun on all of them. Malgaunt's only reactions were to give a casual glance towards Onita's fallen form, then turn a cold gaze upon his former protégé. "I'd prefer you to take care of this."   
  
Funuyaki knew that in spite of the fact Malgaunt was looking directly at her when he gave the command, it was not meant for her. She turned her attention instead to the true source the comment had been directed towards, and the one responsible for the increasingly large problems she had with her peace of mind: Sa'bre Stargrave. He took yet another step towards her, the smile never leaving his face.  
  
"Back off or I'll shoot," Funuyaki warned.   
  
"Too late." Stargrave took another step forward.  
  
Mihoshi sensed something was about to happen. She was about to shout out for both of them to stop, and was seriously contemplating shooting Funuyaki in the arm to relieve her of her weapon, when the matter was taken out of her hands as Funuyaki fired a shot at Stargrave.  
  
At the same instant, Tenchi's eyes widened as he felt a familiar surge of power come not from him, but from someone nearby.  
  
Funuyaki's aim was on target as the laser bolt lanced through the air and straight for Stargrave's head. His brow furrowed in concentration for a moment, and then three rectangles of white light appeared in a circular pattern before him, almost like a propeller with three blades. One of the rectangles formed directly in front of the bolt heading towards Stargrave, deflecting it harmlessly away.   
  
"The light hawk wings," Tenchi whispered under his breath as both he and Mihoshi stared at them in awe.  
  
"Nice shot. It's a pity things didn't work out. In hindsight, I think we could have been friends. Good bye now," Stargrave's brow furrowed again and one of the rectangles shot forward.   
  
Funuyaki continued firing at the rectangle, all the while knowing it would do no good. As when she had refused Autolycus' offer, she felt relieved and surprisingly calm, her conscience at ease as for the first time in years she knew she was doing the right thing, even if was going to result in her death. She could not erase the mistakes of the past, but trying to prevent Malgaunt and Stargrave from succeeding in their plan of genocide would balance things out a little, at least to her. And even though she had failed to stop them and would fall now, she had helped balance the odds for Mihoshi and her friend by reducing the number of opponents from four to two. She hoped for Mihoshi's sake it would be enough.  
  
Even with certain death staring her in the face, and the sense of peace that permeated her being, Funuyaki refused to go down without a fight. She loosed three more blasts before the rectangle shot across her, covering her entire form. The awesome power of the light hawk wing instantly consumed her body as it touched it, not even leaving ashes behind. The rectangle of power disappeared no more than ten feet beyond where it had struck Lieutenant Funuyaki. An instant later, it reappeared at Stargrave's side. After rejoining its twin companions, all three of the wings disappeared.  
  
The sheer brutality of Funuyaki's death snapped Mihoshi out of her reverie. "That's enough!" She was uncertain what to make of the situation. She could have sworn they had all been bad guys, according to Fera they were, yet Funuyaki had not acted like one at all. She had been as bold and courageous as any Galaxy Police officer Mihoshi had served with, even in the face of death.   
  
But now there was something else to consider. Stargrave could somehow wield the light hawk wings. Again, Mihoshi was uncertain of what to do next. There was nothing she could do to overpower them. And wasn't Tenchi supposed to be the only one that could use them?  
  
Funuyaki's death served to snap Tenchi out of his own reverie as well. He felt power well up within him as he looked at Stargrave in shock. "How can you do that?"  
  
Stargrave turned towards Tenchi. In theory, he should have at least tried to use the light hawk wings against the young boy right now. It was possible Tenchi would not have enough time to raise his own wings to block the blast, but Stargrave doubted that. He could feel barely-restrained power bubbling below the surface, waiting to lash out and strike him down.   
  
There were other, more personal concerns as well. For the first time in years Stargrave found himself feeling completely alone. The last time such sorrow had consumed him had happened after the death of his mother. The sorrow had stayed with him for a number of years, until he had organized a crew that served to take her place in his mind, even if he hadn't realized it at the time. Now with all of his crew gone, he was left alone again, save for the despised feeling of loneliness. Some part of him wanted the solitude to end immediately and come to an understanding with the boy. It was conceivable that Tenchi could fill the void within the pirate captain, and it could be possible they had more in common than just their powers. Instinctively, Stargrave doubted Tenchi would accept the proposal he had in mind, but he had to try.   
  
There was a look of something similar to compassion now etched upon Stargrave's features as he said, "Now you know the truth, boy."  
  
"What do you mean?" Tenchi gasped out. A part of him was in awe of the man who could wield the light hawk wings as well, for deep within Tenchi there was a stirring. It was a feeling of reunion, as though something that had been missing was now made complete. It had something, no, everything to do with the power that continuously (as well as unconsciously) poured through his veins, his very cells, though he could not say exactly why that was. It was more of an instinct than anything else, but it was there. Nearly palpable enough to grasp, but too ethereal to ever be touched.  
  
The same mix of emotions served to affect Stargrave as well. It made him all the more certain the two were brothers, most likely of flesh and at the very least of spirit. And never should brothers fight one another.   
  
But then, neither should fathers and sons. That fact would certainly never stop Sa'bre Stargrave from doing what he knew he had to do.  
  
It took Stargrave a moment to bring his emotions under control. At last he answered Tenchi. "I thought it would be obvious. Since it's quite clear you're not Yosho, and you're certainly not Azusa," he spat the name out contemptuously, "you must be a royal bastard, like myself."  
  
"Bastard?" Tenchi asked, wondering why the man before him would think something as odd as that.  
  
Stargrave looked at Tenchi in surprise. "You don't know your own family history? Don't you know who your father was? Hasn't the power of the light hawk wings cried out to you the obvious, that you are of the direct bloodline of the Emperor himself?"  
  
"Of course I know that," Tenchi said.   
  
Stargrave became anxious. "Then you understand what you are. And since you're like me, and have the same dark cloud of death hanging over you should the truth become known, you should join me. Join me and we will conquer those thrice-damned Juraians and rule the remains of their empire together, as is our bloodright." Stargrave held out his hand and waited for Tenchi to accept.  
  
"What are you talking about?!" Tenchi didn't like what the man seemed to be implying, but what he liked even less was that a part of him felt some sort of kinship with Sa'bre, and did want to accept the hand of the man that had just killed the woman. It was the power. It was affecting him somehow.  
  
Stargrave saw the repulsion on Tenchi's face and withdrew his hand. "Allow me to explain to you who I am. What I am. Why I'm doing this. Why I have to do this. Perhaps then you'll understand why you have to accept my proposal.  
  
"My name is Sa'bre Star..." he stopped abruptly, shook his head, and gave a half-hearted smile. "It has been so long since I've used my real name I almost forgot what it was. My name is Sa'bre Masamoto. Son of Allegra Masamoto and Azusa the First, Emperor of Jurai."  
  
"You're lying," Tenchi said. Shortly after first meeting his great-grandfather, Yosho had informed Tenchi of his own family history. There were no Allegras or Sa'bres in it, only the members Tenchi had already met. There was only one possibility left, and surely the Emperor would never have betrayed his great-grandmother or Misaki like that. It had to be a lie.  
  
Sa'bre gave a chuckle. "You'd be amazed at how many people come up to me and say I have a strong resemblance to the Emperor, and they don't even have the faintest idea of exactly why that is."  
  
Tenchi looked deep into his eyes and at once understood. They were his great-grandfather's eyes looking at him.   
  
His grandfather's eyes.  
  
Tenchi's eyes.   
  
All of them the same.   
  
Sensing Tenchi now understood and accepted the truth, Sa'bre continued. "Only two people, a being named Autolycus and Marshal Malgaunt here, know the truth of my ancestry. And now you'll know the truth, too. I'm willing to tell you this as a show of trust, and perhaps you'll see why we should join together. We have so much more to lose if we should find ourselves working at cross purposes. In all of the universe, we're unique. It would be a shame if there would be only one of us left after today. So listen well, and understand.  
  
"Some thirty-five years ago, my mother was employed as a bathing attendant at the Imperial Palace on Jurai. She was young and very beautiful. It was small surprise that one day she caught the eye of the Emperor himself. He seduced her and made love to her in the very chamber in which she worked."  
  
"He wouldn't do that!" Tenchi protested.   
  
Sa'bre gave a laugh bereft of anything other than bitterness. "Believe me, boy, Azusa's appetite for women is every bit voracious as the rumors say. Even two wives are not enough to satiate him. My mother was aware of close to a half-dozen other women he had slept with before and after his escapade with her, although she said he always made certain his wives were off-planet. He was very discreet about the affairs, lest he incur the wrath of the Inspector General of Information and the Commander of the Royal Bodyguard. Tradition might say he can have however many women he wants, but his wives have evidently seen to it he answers to a higher power as well. There are some lines even an Emperor won't cross, I suppose. A pity there are others he will.  
  
"Of course, as a precaution against the Emperor fathering any bastards, every woman he sleeps with is required to undergo testing to ensure she isn't pregnant. If she is, they, how shall I delicately put this, get rid of it?"  
  
"No," Tenchi gasped.   
  
Malgaunt gave a snort at that. "Of course they do. Do you think that after Theon Longshanks and his Blackstarr Rebellion came within a hairsbreadth of overthrowing his father, Gemma the Second's reign, or when Tetsuo the Bastard killed both Mikage the First and the crown prince, the Jurai would take any chances after that? No. They might be incredibly stupid about some things, but even the royal family has learned its lesson well. They keep their actions quiet, of course. It wouldn't do to hold that sort of thing up for public scrutiny. Any messes the Emperor leaves behind are quietly taken care of by his lackeys. If any woman tries to run and actually manages to have their child, their offspring are still dealt with. 'The Empire's reach spans one side of the galaxy to the other,' as the saying goes."  
  
"Except for me," Sa'bre clarified. "Afterwards, my mother was supposed to go in for the standard test, but somehow she was overlooked. Most likely it was because there was a change in the head of the Royal Physicians and there was some clerical error. It was fortunate, for after a couple of months, my mother discovered she was pregnant, and there was only one man the father could possibly be. Rather than allow me to be killed, which would have allowed her to lead a normal life, she immediately left her employ and moved off planet, getting as far away from the Empire as she could. She changed her name and managed to forge a false background. She settled on a desolate rock located near the outer rim called Karastaed. Population: two thousand people without hope. The whole planet was nothing but concentrated squalor. The majority of people that were there were descendants of a failed attempted to terraform the planet. It wasn't even part of the Empire because no one wanted the useless thing with its useless people. It was as far out of the way as one could get, which was what my mother was looking for.  
  
"We lived in abject poverty our entire lives. Mother felt we had to, lest someone discover that she carried a royal bastard and had me killed. It was a realistic possibility. The Juraian Security Directorate is as horribly efficient as they're rumored to be, you know. So she kept as low a profile as she could while living in constant fear of being discovered. But never once was she sorry she had me, and she made certain I knew that and told me everything about my history. I might not have owned more than one pair of shoes with the soles nearly eaten away at any time, but I did have an abundance of love from her. I was happy. I think it is the richest of ironies that the son of the richest and most powerful man in the galaxy was living on one of the poorest planets in existence. But my heritage meant nothing to me because the empire was nothing more than a series of tales I heard others talk about. Karastaed was my reality and all I had known my entire life. It's hard to miss something you've never had before.  
  
"The sad thing is, I probably could have lived my entire life like that, content with my mother and her love, but as with all good things it came to an end far too soon. I had just turned nineteen when she became seriously ill. It was a common disease, one that was easily cured on any planet actually within the Empire, but because we lived so far from the other systems there wasn't any cure available on the entire planet. By the time some of the medicine reached us, it was over. She died in agony and surrounded by poverty, and all because she had been afraid of what the Emperor might do to me. And the worst part of it was that even in her final hours, she never blamed him. She had always been grateful to him for blessing her with me and always spoke of Azusa in near reverent tones.   
  
"I never forgave him for that.  
  
"My mother might have been blinded by him, but I was not. He was a man like any other, perhaps more powerful than others, but he lived and would die like every other man. He had no right to force her into hiding so that she could die destitute and in pain. He had no right to kill me just because he couldn't keep his pants on. I vowed to make him pay for what he had done, he and his mighty 'empire'. All of them would pay.  
  
"Since all that had happened to me and my mother was due to the fear he had that I might overthrow his empire, I decided not to make his efforts wasted. I would somehow, and in some way, break it and make it my own. I didn't actually care what shape it was in, I'd rule over a mountain of bones if I had to, but I would do it. It would all be mine, and all for no other reason than to make Azusa suffer, to destroy that which he had sought so hard to keep. To right the wrongs he did to me and mine, he would pay with everything.  
  
"A group of pirates arrived at Karastaed to hide out. I persuaded them to allow me to join them. That was when I changed my name from Masamoto to Stargrave. It fit in with my new occupation far better than my old, and there was no way anyone would attach me or my mother with it. Within a year's time I was running the lot of stupid dogs. Eventually, we joined another, larger outfit with more resources than ours. I was running that band in another two years. I continued growing in both power and resources, always going out of my way to cause the Jurai as much pain and suffering as I could. In the beginning it never amounted to much, but I continued doing it as long and as hard as I could; it was my personal demon that never rested, always urging me on to larger and greater things. As time passed, and I gained more resources, I actually managed to be counted as an annoyance to them, and they made me the fourth most wanted man in the galaxy. But still I wanted to hurt them more. I became impatient. I wanted to break them, and I wanted to do it soon.  
  
"It was during the last three years or so that my Royal Juraian powers finally came to the fore. It took me a while, and a bit of Autolycus's help, but I managed to control and harness the power of the light hawk wings. However, despite their vast power, I hid them. Alone, I could conceivably shatter a fleet, but that was not enough; I wanted to conquer an empire. Besides, I had no idea what measures the Emperor had in countering the effects of the wings. I might not be able to use them upon the royal family at all, for all I knew. Or one of the space trees, perhaps Tsunami itself, might be able to prevent me from using them. And employing them would put so rich a death mark on my head that my own crew might have tried to collect upon it. So I hid my powers as best as I could and continued biding my time until I had the allies I needed to help me in my goals.  
  
"I found those allies in a race that was wronged like myself, the Yagdagron. And then Malgaunt located me and informed me of the existence of the Shihana, and what we might do with it. With that weapon in our hands, we can destroy the empire in a week. All I truly want to do is break Azusa and take his empire from him. I care little for the actual trappings of power that go along with it, save that it's something that he wants to keep very much. Still, I would be more than happy to share it with someone else. Someone with the same background as me. You've earned it.  
  
"Don't try to lie to me. You know what you are. You wield the light hawk wings, the same as me. The only acknowledged son of Azusa is Yosho, and he's been missing for centuries after chasing the space pirate Ryouko. He must be long dead by now, for if he had survived, he would have returned to his seat of power at the Emperor's side. It's just as well. If he had survived, I would have had to kill him too for being given without a thought that which I could never have. Despite both of us being the same, both of us being our father's sons, Yosho would have had everything while I would have only been granted death. I could never have tolerated his existence.   
  
"But now I find myself not alone. Somehow, another bastard has survived the Emperor's long reach. No longer are you alone either, for now we have each other. I mean what I say. Please, join me. All that you could possibly want will be yours. All you have to do is take my hand." Once again Sa'bre held his hand out towards Tenchi.  
  
Tenchi took a step back and shook his head. "Even if everything you said was true, and if it is, I'm not sure I can ever forgive my great-grandfather, I could never do what you're proposing. Listen to yourself. Because you're angry with your father, you're going to kill a bunch of people that have nothing to do with this. All you're doing is the same thing to others that was done to yourself. Can't you see that?"  
  
Sa'bre looked deeply into Tenchi's eyes, then hope faded from his own. "It's not the same thing. If you had traveled the same path I had, you'd understand. But I can see that you're never going to believe that. I suppose that makes us enemies. How sad. It would have been nice to have a brother, or great-nephew if what you say is true, I suppose."  
  
"So what do we do now?" Tenchi asked, knowing just like Sa'bre that words would be wasted. His great-uncle was like an open book to him. Perhaps they were very similar after all.  
  
"I was going to arrest them," Mihoshi offered while still keeping her gun leveled at Malgaunt.   
  
"We've gone far beyond that now," Sa'bre said.   
  
"He's right," Tenchi agreed. He knew what was coming. Just as Sa'bre could see it in his eyes, so could he look in and see Sa'bre's soul. Two dreams had met and clashed. Only one could survive. The matter was going to be resolved here and now. Forever. A steely calm settled over him as he knew what was to come.  
  
Sa'bre gave Tenchi another sad look. "Using our full power could conceivably tear this planet apart. That would mean the death of our friends as well as the Shihana for me. I don't think either of us wants that."  
  
"Agreed," Tenchi said.  
  
"Can you perform matter transmutation with the wings?"   
  
"Of course."  
  
Sa'bre moved to the edge of the clearing, as far away from the Shihana as he could. "I propose a duel. We'll focus the power of the wings through instruments of our design. That should be more than sufficient for one of us to kill the other without destroying everything in the area."  
  
Memories flashed back to Tenchi's duel with Kagato, save that this situation seemed almost... civil. As though there was anything civil concerning two people that were about to kill each other. "It will. Swords then?"   
  
"Agreed," Sa'bre said. "What is your name, might I ask?"  
  
"Tenchi," he answered.  
  
"A strong name."  
  
Oddly, in spite of the man Sa'bre was, Tenchi trusted him and knew there would be no betrayal. He moved to the edge of the clearing, standing just as far apart from Sa'bre as he had from Kagato. Once again, he found himself engaging in something he didn't want to do, but as before, it was a necessary thing. There was no way to safely take out Sa'bre without killing him, and the Shihana could never be allowed to fall into his hands. It would mean the deaths of billions across the galaxy. Even though they had talked for less than five minutes, he knew Sa'bre well enough to understand the man would do exactly what he claimed. It was a choice, an ugly and repulsive one, but one Tenchi still had to make.  
  
Malgaunt stood off to the side with his hands still raised, watching with fascination that he would have denied having. Mihoshi still had her gun leveled at him, but much of her attention was riveted to the duel about to take place. The marshal thought he could draw his sidearm and shoot her before she could fire back, but he did not do it. Under the circumstances, it would be a chancy maneuver, and if Tenchi could summon the light hawk wings, as Sa'bre had suggested, then nothing Malgaunt could do would be able to stop the boy. He didn't know how fast Tenchi could summon them, but as prepared as he was for his fight with Sa'bre, Malgaunt doubted it would be slower than the time it took him to draw and shoot Mihoshi.   
  
There were several other reasons as well. One was that he was under the distinct impression Sa'bre would not be happy if he interfered; it would offend the pirate's vague sense of honor. Another was that Mihoshi's continued existence meant the boy wouldn't be able to employ his full powers for fear of killing her. If Sa'bre killed the boy, then it would be safe to shoot Mihoshi, but Malgaunt could not afford to do it a moment before. And if Sa'bre somehow lost to the whelp, then an alternate plan would have to be formed. But Sa'bre would win. Malgaunt could just feel it. Still, he began to plot, just in case.  
  
Mihoshi was at a loss for what to do as well. She knew she should have kept her full attention on Malgaunt, but she was worried about Tenchi and allowed her concentration to drift towards him. It reminded her all too much of Tenchi's battle with Kagato, and like then, Mihoshi was forced to sit on the sidelines and just watch. She wanted to help, but there was nothing she could do when dealing with someone of Sa'bre's power. All that was left was to pray.  
  
Sa'bre felt there was no need to waste any more time. He had a galaxy to conquer. He willed his pent-up power to surge from him, and again three wings of the light hawk appeared before of him. A resonance echoed within him as Tenchi also summoned three wings of the lighthawk as well. It would be an even match.  
  
As one, two of each of the duelist's wings went into motion, flowing over each of the men that had created them. As they moved down each of their forms, the material of their outfits changed into nearly identical versions of Juraian Royal Battle Armor. The only real differences between the two were that Sa'bre's uniform carried more black along the arms, legs, and chest, and that instead of the white puff balls that adorned Tenchi's uniform, stylized gold snakes intertwining with one another had formed on Sa'bre's. The number and location of the snakes did exactly correlate with the one's on Tenchi's outfit, making the decorations seem more alike than different.  
  
The remaining single wing floated before each warrior. As one they reached out and grasped the brightly glowing objects, handling energy that could shatter continents as easily as a child held a toy. The energy glowed brighter for a moment, then the shafts of pure energy changed into the more solid forms of long swords, though the power within them was every bit the equal as the beams of energy they had been before; it was simply in a more focused form.  
  
The synchroncity of each man vaguely disturbed the audience of Malgaunt and Mihoshi. As one, each man brought his sword before him, holding it in a vertical line directly down their center, and gave a deep bow in respect. They rose as one again, mirror images in motion if not in physical appearance.   
  
The twin reflections finally moved apart when Tenchi's opening move was to hold his sword straight in front of him while Sa'bre held his high and parallel with the ground. Each held their pose for a full thirty seconds, waiting for the other to attack. Sa'bre was the first to change tactics by rushing forward and bringing his sword down towards Tenchi's head. Two hard strikes were parried. Sa'bre was a bit surprised by the ease Tenchi showed by easily deflecting the blows. The boy had a deceptive strength about him. Sa'bre parried one counter-strike aimed at his chest, then backed off.  
  
With the opening moves finished, both opponents calmly assessed the other. Their speed appeared about equal. Sa'bre had a slight strength and reach advantage, but it was not by so much that he was willing to rely on either one. Also, Tenchi appeared lighter than him, and Sa'bre would have been the first to admit that although he kept himself in good shape, his endurance was not on the level of Ariana or any of the other muscle that made up his gang. That, combined with the fact that he had traveled on foot for the last several days, convinced him that if it came down to a test of endurance, Tenchi would probably win, though Sa'bre doubted if the fight would last that long.   
  
How the focused power of the light hawk wings would react to another with that same power was a mystery to both men. Would all it take was a scratch, or would the blade have to impale the other person in order to have any effect? Sa'bre was not eager to experiment and find out which it was. Best to look for one opening and finish the fight with a single killing stroke. It would take time and skill, but patience often meant the difference between life and death in such duels.  
  
Tenchi's assessments and concerns were similar to Sa'bre's. It was conceivable that a scratch could end it all, though Tenchi found himself doubting that. There was a feeling of power surrounding Sa'bre that was similar to Kagato's. Nothing less than a mortal blow would finish this fight. That meant taking a chance on a light hit scoring if it meant the possibility of getting in a solid strike that would finish the fight altogether. If Tenchi was wrong, he might die, but he had to put his life on the line for the sake of the people Sa'bre would kill if the pirate was victorious.  
  
This time Tenchi closed the distance between the two and lashed out, forcing Sa'bre to parry several attacks before Tenchi leaned too far forward on a lunge and found himself forced onto the defensive. After deflecting several blows, one nearly taking off his head, Tenchi regained his balance. Seeing this, Sa'bre backed off and the warriors examined one another once more.  
  
A melancholy affected Sa'bre slightly. In spite of the fact that Tenchi was what stood between him and the Shihana, which was nothing less than the key to absolute victory, he felt no anger towards the boy. It was such a contrast to the rage he had felt when he had first learned the plant had been taken from him. No later than yesterday, Sa'bre would have been pleased to slowly torture anyone who dared to stand between him and his goals. But now that there was a face to his enemy, and worse, Tenchi was family. Sa'bre felt a sense of loss more than anything else.   
  
In the moment of calm before the duo closed again, Sa'bre considered that his newfound sorrow might have had to do with some deep-seated need to be accepted by a member of his family. In the past, he would have openly scoffed at such foolishness, but since Ariana's death he found himself looking inward in disturbing ways. Self-examination of anything other than surface motivations was not something Sa'bre had often engaged in, he considered it nothing more than distracting psycho-babble, but now he began to wonder if perhaps he should have questioned himself more closely.   
  
A fierce shake of the head cleared it of such superfluous thoughts. Now was not the time for recriminations. Twenty years of pent up rage was on the verge of being satiated. All of his goals and dreams were focused on one objective: regaining the Shihana. There could be no questions now, no chance of failure allowed. He had to take back that which he wanted most in the universe. Doubts could be dealt with later; now was a time for action.  
  
Sa'bre brought his sword up just in time to turn aside a particularly vicious thrust by Tenchi. Again he found that his grandnephew had overextended himself slightly, leaving an opening just large enough for him to exploit. Tenchi realized this as well, and hurled himself backward with all of his strength. It proved just enough as Sa'bre's swing only nicked him in the forehead.   
  
The cut was deep enough to draw blood, but rather than anything so mundane as red liquid, blue fire was what erupted from the cut. There was one small spurt that shot in the air, as though it had been forced under pressure, then it trailed off to nothing more than a soft trickle that slowly seeped from the wound to dissipate in the air.  
  
Sa'bre was taken aback by the result. He had never realized before that with the power of the light hawk wings filling him, pure energy had replaced his blood, and perhaps other things a well. How deep did the changes go? On how deep a level did they occur? Were they no longer even human?   
  
Sa'bre found he had no desire to find out, and proceeded to charge Tenchi, hoping to press the advantage. But his hesitation from the surprising result from his opponent's wound cost him whatever edge he might have had. Tenchi dodged or parried every thrust Sa'bre used, and retaliated in kind by launching an aggressive attack of his own, though he failed to score with even the lightest of hits. By the end of the display, Sa'bre was left breathing heavily while Tenchi appeared a good bit less winded.  
  
With a moment to think, Tenchi considered what had happened with the wound. He knew from the pain that had accompanied the cut that in spite of the apparent change to his internal structure -and most likely Sa'bre's- that he would still die if he took a fatal blow. And that Sa'bre had managed to connect, even with only a light caress of the blade, meant the pirate could possibly win the duel. That was as unacceptable as if Kagato had won and taken the girls as his own. Tenchi found he now had yet another choice to make, and if he decided he could go through with it, everything would then fall to Mihoshi.   
  
It was as Sa'bre tried catching his wind that he lamented not training with the blade more often with Ariana. She had been a master of it, and had improved his own skills five-fold. Now he had the sinking feeling that it was not going to be enough. There was something in Tenchi's skills that convinced Sa'bre the boy had the edge. In order to win, he was going to have to do the unexpected. He was going to chance everything in an all-out assault, hoping it would either catch Tenchi off guard or just power past his defenses. It was a gamble, but the best chance Sa'bre felt he had left. All it took was a half step back to try to lull Tenchi into feeling that he was going to catch his breath, then Sa'bre lunged forward and attacked.   
  
Sa'bre saw Tenchi's eyes dart towards Mihoshi for a second. The older man caught a glimpse of Tenchi's eyes, and thought he saw a look of sorrow within his grandnephew that was as deep and resounding as his own, a feat he would have thought inconceivable for any living being other than himself. Then Tenchi turned back to Sa'bre, a look in his eyes as determined as any the pirate had ever seen in his entire life, and lunged forward as well.  
  
As Tenchi rushed forward, sword extended at its fullest, Sa'bre saw that the boy had made a terrible mistake and was leaving himself wide open. Not one to pass up the advantage, no matter how depressed he felt at having to kill perhaps the only family member whose existence he could have tolerated, Sa'bre brought his sword forward to impale Tenchi.  
  
It was as his own blade was no more than a foot away from Tenchi that Sa'bre realized the depths of his mistake. In going for the opening on Tenchi, and the nature of the boy's attack, Sa'bre was also leaving himself wide open from a strike from Tenchi. There was no doubt in the pirate's mind that he would be able to run Tenchi through, but there was just as little doubt that he would be unable to avoid Tenchi's own last, retaliatory blow. Sa'bre wouldn't even be able to move enough to keep the thrust from being fatal.  
  
No! Death was not an option! It was true that the Shihana would survive intact, and his opponent would be dead, but it meant nothing if Sa'bre was not there to enjoy the fruits of his labor. He didn't just want his father dead; he wanted to be there to witness it all, to stand triumphant where Azusa had failed so miserably. Sa'bre wanted to see the look on Azusa's face when he told him of his true origins, as he took the emperor's wives and daughters from him and killed them as surely as his mother had been killed because of Azusa's actions. Victory was not enough. Sa'bre needed to survive in order to savor the victory.  
  
With a twist of his body, Sa'bre Masamoto turned his blade away from Tenchi and did everything he could to avoid the incoming sword stroke. It was not enough. He failed, and the sword entered his chest several inches below the left side of his ribcage. It was twisted upward and diagonally through him, coming out above his right shoulder and swinging free from his body.   
  
A blast of blue flame shot outward from the gaping wound, washing over Tenchi, but not harming him in the slightest. Sa'bre staggered backward several paces, somehow remaining upright despite the sword strike going clean through his body. After the initial strike and an overwhelming surge of pain, there was nothing, save a feeling of peace that washed over the pirate captain. He could see that after the initial gout of energy that shot forth from his cut, there was only a small trickle of energy leaking from it now. He stared at the wound, just barely comprehending what it meant to him. He looked up to Tenchi in confusion, though his voice was strong.  
  
"Why did you do that? You would have died too."  
  
Tenchi's felt no concern about Sa'bre's continued existence. Just as in the case of Kagato, he knew it would not last long. "I was willing to sacrifice myself to make sure you never got your hands on that plant."  
  
Sa'bre could feel something, or someone calling to him. It was directed not just to his life force, not just to the power within him, but to his entire being. It was summoning him somewhere else. Somewhere nice. All of his resentment and anger left him, though the faint echoes of the memories remained. Those feelings were irrelevent. It was not a feeling of absolution he had, he did not want or need such a thing, it was simply a release of all of his cares as the past ceased to matter to him, and for the first time in over two decades, the present was all that mattered now.  
  
Sa'bre looked at Tenchi, and for one brief instant, understood exactly what his grandnephew was. A soft smile parted Sa'bre's lips. "So you were willing to die for your cause. How noble. Maybe it's better this way, and perhaps the emperor will yet be forced to pay for the wrongs he's done."  
  
As the last word left his lips, Sa'bre felt his corporeal form begin to finally dissolve. Everything that made up the unique creature that he had once been was being summoned elsewhere. As conscious thought began to cease to exist, he found himself hoping that he would get to see Ariana and his mother again.  
  
And then that which had once been Sa'bre Masamoto, ceased to be.  
  
  
As Sa'bre dissolved, almost exactly as Kagato had, Tenchi felt a sadness clutch his heart, something more profound then when he had ended any of the others' lives. Sa'bre was the only one that could be responsible for his own actions, but the situation he had been forced into had been all his great-grandfather's doing. Tenchi released his hold on the power that flowed though him, the energy once more went into hiding. His body returned to that of a normal flesh and blood creature and his sword disappeared as his clothing reverted to normal. He knew in his heart that in some way, his great-grandfather was going to answer for what he had done, assuming it wasn't all a lie. From the look of complete conviction in Sa'bre's eyes, Tenchi felt it was the truth. If so, that the older man could have done such unthinking, self-centered things, was unforgivable. And in going to such lengths to cover up the results of his actions wa-  
  
A laser bolt ripped through Tenchi's right hand. A split second later another went through the knee of his right leg, and then pain flooded out any other thoughts in his mind.  
  
Marshal Alexi Malgaunt was a blur in motion. Sa'bre was dead. That meant it was all up to him to kill both Tenchi and Mihoshi and save the Shihana. Once he had seen Tenchi's sword disappear, there was no more time for thought as he initiated the plan he had come up with. Twin shots to disable Tenchi, but not kill since the boy's life might yet be needed. If what Sa'bre had told him about the power of the light hawk wings was true, then Tenchi could not wield them if he was in a great deal of pain. Malgaunt had to take out the most lethal threat first with the only opening he had been given. And it had worked. The boy was kneeling on the ground, gasping in silent pain and was no longer a threat. That left only one last messy detail to deal with.  
  
Drawing and shooting Tenchi had taken only one point six seconds, which Malgaunt hoped would be quick enough to still catch Mihoshi off guard. The marshal turned to fire on her once he saw the second blast at Tenchi strike home, but the blonde's own reflexes were quick enough for her to lunge to her right, the laser blast Malgaunt had aimed for her head only slicing off part of her long mane of hair. Even as she was dodging, she loosed a shot in Malgaunt's direction. He was forced to tuck and roll to his right to avoid taking the laser bolt in the stomach. Mud clung to his uniform as he flowed effortlessly from the roll into a firing crouch and aimed at where Mihoshi should have been after completing her own sprawling groundward dive. As he brought the pistol to bear on the target, Malgaunt's finger froze on the trigger.   
  
Mihoshi had dived right behind the stasis field of the Shihana.   
  
There was no way could he risk firing. Even if Mihoshi revealed herself and he got a clear shot at her, she could still reflexively pull the trigger on her own gun and hit the stasis field, which would be no different from putting his gun to his head and frying his brains. However, Malgaunt had come up with a contingency for that as well; it was the only reason Tenchi had been left alive, albeit in a helpless state.   
  
Malgaunt ran as fast as he could, towards Tenchi, who, despite the pain he was in, refused to cry out; instead he kneeled on the ground and hissed in agony. A quick blow to the back of the head relieved Tenchi from his pain-induced state. As Malgaunt administered the blow, he made certain Tenchi was between him and the Shihana, even as the Shihana was between him and Mihoshi. Using the boy as cover, and roughly wrapping an arm around Tenchi's throat, Malgaunt used all of his strength to lift the human shield into a standing position and placed his gun to Tenchi's temple.   
  
"Come out right now, Mihoshi, or I'll blow the boy's brains out." When they had first come upon the scene, Malgaunt had noted the manner in which they had stood together, and the way Mihoshi had looked at Tenchi. That had been all he needed to convince him the boy was important to her. He just hoped he hadn't overestimated Tenchi's value.  
  
Instead of coming straight up from behind the Shihana, there was a pause. Malgaunt wondered if Mihoshi had even heard him when he caught the sound of an odd mechanical click come from somewhere behind the orb. Panic began to tear at the edges of Malgaunt's composure. In another second, Mihoshi's gun came upwards and into view, the barrel aimed directly at the stasis field of the Shihana. Mihoshi then came into sight as she rose upward, keeping the gun pointed right were it was.   
  
That ended any thoughts of trying to risk a shot at Mihoshi. He could see the tension in her trigger finger. There was no way he could get a shot off without her firing into the stasis field. Likewise, there was no way she could risk a shot at Malgaunt without him shooting Tenchi. A classic Juraian Standoff.  
  
"Let's make a deal." Malgaunt spoke in smooth tones and tried using all of the charisma he could. He needed to get her to trust him, even if only a little bit. "I'll let you and Tenchi go. You let me have the Shihana. Then we all get what we want."  
  
"I'd never let you have this plant, no matter what."  
  
Malgaunt had known the answer even before she gave it. Seeing the look of total conviction in her eyes was unnecessary, but he had needed to make the gesture. A pity she had to be here now. Once he took over the Galaxy Police, he would need people as devoted to their duty as she was. "I'll kill the boy."  
  
Mihoshi shook her head again. "Tenchi would never forgive me if I traded his life for someone else's, especially the billions you'll kill with this."  
  
"And I can't leave here without it," Malgaunt said smoothly. "It appears we have a problem. But I can offer an alternative."  
  
Everything that Mihoshi had been trained for made her want to refuse to listen to him. Allowing him to have the Shihana was unacceptable at any level, but he'd kill Tenchi if the situation didn't change. She couldn't just let Tenchi die, not if there was some way out. He meant too much to her. "What is it?"  
  
"You want Tenchi and the Shihana. I just want the Shihana. I think Sa'bre and Tenchi had the right idea. Let's have a contest. A life and death one, since our lives are completely dependent upon the outcome of the contest. Winner take all."  
  
"You mean another duel, don't you?" The galaxy police officer within her cringed at the words. Bargaining left too much power in the hands of the criminal, but again she could not let Tenchi die.  
  
"Yes," Malgaunt hissed. "Simple but effective. There will be a clear cut winner and a clear cut loser. Only one walks away with the prize. What do you say?"  
  
"I can't." Mihoshi could hear the longing in her own voice.  
  
Malgaunt shifted his grip in Tenchi. He had to take a desperate chance; the boy was getting heavy and he could feel Mihoshi on the verge of accepting. She had to accept or it was all over. "Then the boy dies here and now and I'll take my chances with just you." He moved his gun hand ever so slightly, hoping it appeared threatening.  
  
"Wait!" Mihoshi cried out. "Deal. But you have to lower your gun first."  
  
Malgaunt shook his head. "Walk out from behind the Shihana, and I'll released my hold on the boy. Then we'll put our guns away."  
  
This time Mihoshi answered with only a nod of her head. Slowly she walked away from the stasis sphere and the plant inside, keeping her gun trained on it at all times. Once she was a good ten feet away from it, and in a direct line with Malgaunt, she told him to release Tenchi.  
  
Malgaunt did so, letting the younger boy's form crash limply into the ground. He walked several paces away from Tenchi, ensuring that even if the boy awakened, he wouldn't try to throw Malgaunt off by grabbing his leg at an inopportune time and distracting him. "We holster our guns at the same time as well."  
  
Slowly, they moved to do so, though through the entire process they remained tense, focusing their entire attention upon the other and waiting for some sign of betrayal. There was none as each of them placed their side arms back in the holsters on their belts.  
  
Malgaunt took command of the situation. "I don't think we really need to waste time with useless words. We both know what we want. Let's keep it simple. We draw on the count of three."  
  
"Agreed."  
  
Malgaunt couldn't believe his luck. What a naive fool Mihoshi was. She must have been even more burned out than he had heard if she was stupid enough to go through with this duel. Whereas it was true he was more than quick enough to gun her down before she even had a chance to draw her weapon, and that a part of him wanted to prove his superiority by playing the duel fairly, there was no chance of that. There was too much at stake for him to risk everything for a momentary surge of ego. That had been Sa'bre's mistake, the poor, sad, fool whom Malgaunt missed already. He should have killed Tenchi outright rather than trying to recruit him. Malgaunt made a note to have a memorial erected to the late pirate after the Yagdagron won. Right on the grounds of the royal palace. Sa'bre would have appreciated that.  
  
As it stood now, Malgaunt was going to draw at the count of two. And then, after dispatching the helpless Tenchi, all he would have to do was wait for the rescue craft to come. Then complete victory would be his within a month. He could almost taste the power he would have in a few months.  
  
Tenchi's eyes opened. It took him a moment to wonder why his leg and hand hurt so much, then he noticed Mihoshi and Malgaunt standing apart from one another, their intentions clear from their postures. He managed to get out a low, "No," and tried to focus on the light hawk wings. Pain overrode everything else, and nothing would come.  
  
"One." Malgaunt spoke clearly and crisply, never once showing any sign of the upcoming betrayal. Mihoshi's look was intense, and Malgaunt had no doubt she was planning on drawing the moment the three left his mouth, but it was already too late. Death would come once he was finished saying...  
  
"T-"  
  
Tenchi blinked in pain the moment the "T" had left Malgaunt's lips. As his eyes were shut, he heard the sound of gun moving across leather and the whine of something being fired. In the span of time that it took for him to open his eyes back up, all that was left was the tableau before him.  
  
Malgaunt fell to his knees, his chest going numb. His gaze at Mihoshi was one of disbelief. Of all the things that had happened to him on this journey, of all the surprises, even Funuyaki's bitter betrayal, this was the one he had anticipated least. "You cheated before I did."  
  
Mihoshi lowered her gun. "I had to. I have a responsibility as a Galaxy Police officer to keep the Shihana from falling into your hands. If that means lying in order to make sure you don't get it, then so be it."  
  
"It's not fair," Malgaunt's voice was weak as he lost all sensation in his body, his laser pistol falling out of his hand as he hit facefirst into the ground. It shouldn't have been this way. He was a genius. He had a foolproof plan. He wasn't supposed to lose. He was supposed to end up the winner, like he always did. No one was supposed to be able to stop him, least of all some burned out Detective First Class. He deserved a better fate than to be ruined and die at the hands of someone like that.  
  
Malgaunt couldn't stand it. It was all so unfair, and even worse, unnecessary. All of the pain, suffering, misery, and death could have been avoided, if only the fools had given him the promotion he had deserved.  
  
The fifth breath he exhaled into the ground was the last.   
  
Mihoshi lowered her own gun once she saw Malgaunt breathe his last. She had felt bad about cheating, but given a choice between keeping her word and risking him getting his hands on the Shihana, as well as keeping Tenchi alive... well that was no choice at all.   
  
Mihoshi knew she had almost no chance of beating him, even if he had not been going to cheat. She had remembered all of the stories told of the Marshal's lightning-quick reflexes, and although her own were considered very fast by most... well, it was a good thing she had decided to draw the instant he started to say two instead of when he finished saying it. Otherwise he would have shot her well before she had a chance to shoot him, and then the galaxy would have been at his mercy. As it was, though...  
  
She looked down at the small, nickel-sized, blackened hole in her uniform, located about an inch to the left of her sternum. That was the nice thing about lasers. They cauterized the wound they made, and there was only a minimal amount of bleeding, if any. That meant she wouldn't have to worry about getting rid of the blood stains when she clea-  
  
  
"NOOO!" Tenchi cried out as Mihoshi's eyes closed and she fell limply to the ground.  
  
  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
  
I'm afraid I'm still studying the art of the cliffhanger. Hope you don't mind.  
  
  
  



	10. chapter 10

Vacation Days   
Chapter 10  
  
  
A Tenchi Muyo! Fic  
This uses the OVA continuity.   
  
Any and all C+C craved for. You can contact me at  
sommer@3rdm.net  
  
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Tenchi Muyo! materials   
  
All of my stuff is now stored at:  
http://angcobra.jumpfun.com/dbsommer.html  
  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
Using all of his remaining strength, Tenchi staggered towards Mihoshi's prone form, barely able to make it to his feet without the use of his badly damaged hand and ruined leg. He stopped once he made it to her side. He fell to his knees as his vision swam out of focus and he nearly passed out a second time. It took several moments before enough of the pain subsided that he could think once again.  
  
The hole in her uniform made locating the wound easy. It was several inches to the left of her sternum and had pierced clean through the upper part of her breast. Given the power of Malgaunt's type of sidearm, Tenchi knew the blast had gone clear through to the other side. For a moment he hesitated to touch that area of her body, then he came to his senses as he realized it was no time for such prudish behavior. His fingers wouldn't respond to his wishes, so he was left to caress the hole ever so gently with the back of his hand. He could just make out the blackened flesh underneath, and that there was no apparent bleeding from the wound. Not that he was in any shape to bind her injury, but he would have found some way around the wound if he had to.   
  
A feeling of panic began to rise in Tenchi's throat. It didn't seem like Mihoshi was breathing. And the location of the wound, right next to, if not right through, her heart, how could she not be de--  
  
"Mihoshi!" Tenchi cried out in panic, hoping his voice would cause her to open her eyes. But nothing happened. The panic that had risen in his throat became a hand that grasped his heart and threatened to squeeze the very life out of him. She couldn't be dead. Not after everything they had gone through, everything they had suffered. They had beaten the odds and had somehow not only kept the Shihana out of the bad guys' hands, but had stopped the men as well. They had saved everyone's lives. It wouldn't have been right for Mihoshi to have given up her life in order to take out that Malgaunt person. She had won the duel, damn it!  
  
It was all Tenchi's fault that she had been in that position to begin with. If he had kept his concentration and maintained his hold on the light hawk wings, he could have stopped Malgaunt. The corrupt Galaxy Police officer would have been as dangerous to Tenchi as an infant child. But instead, Tenchi had made a mistake and placed both himself and Mihoshi in jeopardy. It was her life that she had been forced to risk in that duel to correct that mistake. If she was dead he would never forgive himself.  
  
Losing Mihoshi, losing someone close to him suddenly, would have been too much like losing his mother again. He was tired of losing the people he cared about. His mind involuntarily began reflecting upon the times he and Mihoshi had spent together, as though she had already passed from the veil of life. Everything that they had gone through since the start of their ill-fated vacation had been an enlightening experience for him, showing a depth to Mihoshi he had never realized before. She was certainly still frustrating, though in a different way from the other girls and in a manner that usually caused him considerably less stress. Her heartfelt sincerity and honesty had touched him in ways he had never felt before, and as his vision shimmered from tears of emotion instead of pain, he started to say, "Mihoshi, don't die. I think I might l-"  
  
And then her eyes darted wide open.  
  
"Ack!" Tenchi cried out as he fell backwards onto his rear end.  
  
"Ohhh," Mihoshi let out a low moan. "That didn't feel good at all."  
  
"Y... you're alive!" Tenchi cried out. Tears of joy overcame the impending tears of sorrow.  
  
Mihoshi's right hand slowly came up, and she poked her stomach. There was still feeling there. Weakly, she said, "As near as I can tell, yes."  
  
Tenchi tried to get up, out of reflex by using his injured hand, and immediately went down in an agonizing heap. Still, he would not allow the pain to rob him of his happiness. He rolled over and raised himself up by doing a makeshift sit-up. "But you got shot right through the heart."  
  
Mihoshi raised her head up off the ground just high enough to be able to see the wound in her chest. "Umm. Tenchi, that's not where my heart is."  
  
"It isn't?" he asked.   
  
"No. It's right over here." She brought her right hand over and pointed about five inches or so to the right of her sternum.  
  
"It is?"  
  
"Isn't yours?" she asked.  
  
"No. It's just a tad left of center."  
  
"Oh, just like Juraians. Silly me. I should have remembered that. Anyway, the shot did go through one of my lungs." Seemingly out of breath from the brief conversation, her hand fell limply across her chest and her breathing became more shallow.  
  
"I thought you were dead. You didn't seem to be breathing." That was all Tenchi got out as he reexamined her as best as he could. He wondered if he could really be this fortunate, or if there was still some other shoe waiting to fall. Like a meteorite plunging through the skies and destroying the whole area with them in it.  
  
Mihoshi looked at him through half-lidded eyes. "My body automatically shut down while it contracted the muscles near the top of my bronchial tube, that way my lung wouldn't collapse."  
  
"You can do that sort of thing?" Tenchi asked, curiosity poking through the blanket of relief that had been thrown over him.   
  
"Of course." Mihoshi spoke as though it was as obvious as putting loxvomit in one's coffee. "It's from the genetic reengineering our race used to do before they realized the dangers of universal genetic manipulation. We're completely immune to over eighty percent of the known contagious diseases in the galaxy, and our wounds heal really fast, and our skin's more resilient than most other peoples, and all sorts of other things were done to us that are pretty beneficial."  
  
"Oh," was all Tenchi could think to say. "You don't look too good, though." Her skin had gone from its usual tan to an almost alabaster white and her breathing had become very raspy.  
  
"I have a hole in my chest, Tenchi." Mihoshi sounded exasperated.  
  
Tenchi would have hit himself on the head, if not for the fact the pain from his hand would probably have sent him into unconsciousness again. "I'm sorry. It's just hard to think because of the pain." Now that the adrenaline that had been fueled by his initial fears of Mihoshi's death had run its course through his body, the agony from being shot through his hand and leg began to make him feel light-headed and dizzy. "Are you going to be all right?"  
  
That required some thought on Mihoshi's part. She pondered that from her prone position. She too was feeling exhausted from her wound and the amount of energy her body had expended in preventing her from further harm. "For now. I got shot by a laser, so the wound's cauterized. But since I've only got one lung left, I won't be able to do much heavy work. And if I don't get some medical help before too long, there could be some complication from infections or permanent damage from my injury. Mensans sometimes have problem with cloned organ rejection, you know."  
  
"Actually, I didn't," Tenchi pointed out, though he was glad Mihoshi seemed to be out of immediate danger. "You think once we get rescued, they can do something about my hand and leg?" He held up the hand for Mihoshi to see.  
  
She cringed at the sight. "Jurai has the best medical technology in the galaxy. I'm sure they can. Does it hurt bad?"  
  
"Not really," Tenchi lied, firmly convinced she wouldn't see through the deception. "I think I'm going to pass out for a while."  
  
"Me too." A wave of white passed before Mihoshi's eyes. She had never been shot as badly as this before. Actually, she had never been shot at all. She would never have guessed it was so exhausting. At least her body's endorphins were working and blocked out the worst of the pain.  
  
She watched Tenchi roll back onto the ground and close his eyes, breathing regularly. It was taking everything she had to remain awake. She wanted to watch over Tenchi and make sure he remained all right, but she just needed to close her eyes for a moment. She wasn't going to sleep, really. Just rest her eyes, so tha...  
  
Mihoshi fell asleep within moments.  
  
  
Tenchi looked up at the twin suns and began to feel concern. He and Mihoshi had been essentially trapped in the clearing where the anti-grav sled had broken down for the last four days, and their supply of food had dwindled away to almost nothing. Neither of them could hunt considering the condition they were in. Luckily, they had been unaccosted in all of that time. Tenchi was now certain that Sa'bre, Malgaunt, and their two companions had indeed been the last of the people looking for the Shihana. However, due to his and Mihoshi's injuries, they had been reduced to being able to sitting around, talking, and not much else. As many might have suspected when speaking extensively with Mihoshi, the conversation rarely became too deep or philosophical, but there was something nice about the way she jumped around from topic to topic and discussed her various life experiences, which were amazingly extensive for someone that was under twenty-five years of age. Mihoshi seemed fascinated by anything Tenchi had to say about Earth in general and his life in particular. There was nothing too irrelevant or obscure for her, and she listened to everything with rapt attention. That made their time together pass quickly while they remained entertained.  
  
While the time off and lack of things attacking them was pleasant, there was that little problem with starvation to worry about. Their own supply of food had already dwindled to nothing, and they had resorted to using the rations they had found on Sa'bre and his companions. Luckily they had grabbed them before they had given the bodies a proper burial, which, due to his and Mihoshi's injuries, took up most of the next two days. It was a good thing it had not taken them any longer, or else there would have been serious decomposition problems. As it was, when they finally buried Malgaunt's body, it had begun to take on a very rank smell. Tenchi noted that in all of the stories of heroes he had grown up listening to, not one of them spoke of basic problems like corpse disposal.  
  
The time Tenchi had also allowed him to reflect on Sa'bre's death. As with Kagato, he felt very little in the way of remorse. He was sorry it had to happen, but there was no other choice. Part of him was glad that he would not be plagued by any nightmares or other such recriminations, but another part of him felt appalled at the seeming ease with which he dealt with his actions. Perhaps so long as a part of him felt bad about that, he would never have to fear becoming someone that gave little thought of killing others, like Sa'bre.  
  
Tenchi was inventorying the last of their rations, noting that Mihoshi's appetite had, if anything, increased from its normal levels, and that they had perhaps enough to last one more day. Mihoshi had begun to talk about the lessons taught in Dr. Lector's survival course when salvation was delivered to them at last.  
  
The spaceship was long and obsidian black, constructed of a mix of wood and metal. It was very wide, but cylindrical, reminding Tenchi of Aeka's own Ryu-Oh. Slowly, it descended through the clouds before settling in a position directly above the clearing their camp was in. Tenchi looked at in with a mix of apprehension and joy.   
  
"Do you recognize it?" he asked.  
  
"It's from the Juraian Security Directorate," Mihoshi said. "They're a specialized law enforcement unit for the Empire that's under the Emperor's direct supervision. Lots of people call them spooks, but I don't think they look like ghosts at all. They're not transparent or dead. Some of them are just as scary as ghosts, though. Maybe that's where they get their nickname."  
  
"They're good guys then." Tenchi breathed a sigh of relief. Mihoshi and he could finally get some much needed medical attention and the Shihana would be in the proper authorities hands once again.  
  
A beam of light shone down from the underside of the vessel and over thirty men and women, dressed in purple and blue battle armor with black helmets whose mirrored visors reflected everything, materialized in the light. Each one of them bore various lethal-looking weapons, all of them large. A squad of four officers bore down on Tenchi and Mihoshi while a handful of others went over to the Shihana and surrounded it. The remainder of the personnel secured a perimeter.   
  
One of the men next to the Shihana wore a large metal cylinder, that shone with a greenish hue, on his back. A nozzle led from the cylinder to a sprayer in his hands. After adjusting some of the dials on the nozzle, he ordered the others to stand back. A gray-white gooey substance sprayed out from the nozzle. Both Tenchi and Mihoshi could see it form around the stasis field protecting the Shihana, but definitely not collapsing it. Within moments the Shihana was completely covered by a foot thick layer of the material, which, after several moments of contact with the air, went on to change from gray-white to a more jaundiced-looking yellow.  
  
"Sylli Puddi," Mihoshi said quietly to Tenchi. "It gets just as hard as adamantium after several seconds of contact with the air. I got stuck in a pile of it once, right up to my waist. It took a team of demolition experts over nine hours to get me out. It was a good thing they got me out when they did too, because I had to go to the bathroom really bad. I couldn't cross my legs to hold it in or anythin-"  
  
"That's a little more information than I needed," Tenchi said as he became increasingly nervous about the guns the officers surrounding him seemed intent on keeping aimed in his direction. "Umm, I don't suppose you'd consider pointing those things away and getting us some medical help? We are sort of wounded."  
  
One of the women pulled out a black oblong box and pointed it at Tenchi. It didn't look like a gun, and since they already had plenty of those pointed in their direction at the moment, it did nothing to increase his unease. The box beeped, and a red light blinked upon its surface for a moment. She pointed it at Mihoshi, and the box beeped again.  
  
"Sensor readings confirm their identities as Tenchi Masaki and Mihoshi Kuramitsu." The woman reattached the box to her belt, while the rest of the officers lowered their weapons. The woman began speaking to a communicator on her wrist. "We have two individuals requiring medical assistance. Punch up the bio-files we have on them and get them ready for treatment."  
  
Within moments, Tenchi and Mihoshi found themselves enveloped in a beam of light and transported to the ship's medical bay. Immediately, they were surrounded by a host of men and women dressed in formal-looking red uniforms that were curiously somewhat reminiscent of the outfit his great-grandmother had worn during her visit to Earth.  
  
The duo were quickly instructed to lie down on a couple of examination tables. One of the red-suited men took charge and with a gloved hand, gave Tenchi a small, five inch diameter metal orb with rounded metal studs to hold. Someone did likewise for Mihoshi.  
  
"What's this?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"Contact anesthetic," the man informed him as Tenchi felt a numbness crawl up his arm and spread to the left side of his body. His hand went limp and the orb fell out of it. The red-suited man caught the sphere before it hit the ground. "When you wake up, you'll be as good as new."   
  
Tenchi didn't hear a word as a drugged-induced sleep washed over him.  
  
  
"It's just a final informal debriefing," Sergeant Michikacu informed Tenchi. Mihoshi was at Tenchi's side, and the pair followed the slender man down the corridors of the ship.  
  
It had been two days since he and Mihoshi had awakened from their medical treatment, both of them judged completely healed. They had even treated some potentially cancerous cells they had discovered in Tenchi's liver.  
  
Immediately after they had been given a clear bill of health, they had been thoroughly interrogated by a host various investigators. Both together and separately, Mihoshi and Tenchi had been asked questions about the events that had occurred since the moment they had left Earth, to when they were rescued by the Directorate. Actually, only Tenchi had been asked the host of questions. Mihoshi was separated from Tenchi at first. The man that had been the first interrogator assigned to her had only asked one question: "Exactly what happened?" Mihoshi then proceeded to give an unbelievably detailed and exhaustive report on every single thing that had occurred during that time period, right down to how many times she ate and what the exact contents of each meal were. After talking for six straight hours she was finished. There were no further questions from that interrogator.  
  
Mihoshi was removed from her isolated room and then placed in the same one with Tenchi. The first investigator left her, allowing a second one to take over and directed a question to Mihoshi. After he too asked, "What happened?" and the first couple hours of her speech was repeated verbatim, the Security Directorate ceased questioning her and concentrated on Tenchi. Mihoshi happily corrected him whenever he made an error about how an event occurred, and he had to concede she was right each time. After being interrogated on a second day, they were allowed to sleep for over nine hours, before being roused and taken to the commander for one final report.  
  
The trio stopped before a large metal door at the end of the corridor. "This is where I leave you. Good luck." Sergeant Michikacu turned and began to retreat back down the hallway they had come from.  
  
Tenchi was about to say something to the sergeant when the door irised opened. The duo looked at each other, shrugged, and accepted the unspoken invitation.  
  
The first thing Tenchi noticed was that the chamber within was quite spartan. Dim lights ensconced in the ceiling reflected dully off mahogany-colored wooden walls that lacked even a single picture to break the monotony of the wall. The furniture consisted solely of a long metal desk with a variety of holograms hovering above it. Two plain-looking metal chairs, that reminded Tenchi of similar ones in his high school, sat in front of the desk. Even the floor was the same material as the flooring of the rest of the ship. The whole effect was very somber and drab, at least to Tenchi's way of thinking.  
  
There were a couple occupants already in the room. Two men --both of whom appeared physically to be in their earlier thirties-- one sitting in the chair behind the long desk and the other standing at ease next to him, were obviously waiting for Tenchi and Mihoshi. The one sitting wore the black uniform that Tenchi had learned was that of the Juraian Security Directorate, though this individual's was more elaborate than the others in that it used a black and silver motif that was obviously carefully tailored. His right breast held a variety of gold, green, and crimson decorations which Tenchi assumed were awards of some kind. His long black hair was tied back severely into a ponytail, reminding Tenchi of the style his grandfather wore. Since the man was sitting down, Tenchi was uncertain of his height or weight, but he had the impression that the man was neither particularly tall nor heavyset. His nose was slightly hooked, and there was a look of intelligence in his eyes, both features reminding Tenchi of his great-grandmother. At present, there was a smile on his features and he radiated an aura of friendliness, but Tenchi had the feeling the kind gaze could change to a harsh glare in an instant.  
  
The other man was of medium height and build. He too wore the same uniform of black and silver trim that the man seated had, though this one lacked the awards on his breast. His hair was blonde and short, a style similar to Tenchi's, though lacking the small ponytail he wore. The man was decidedly unremarkable in appearance, and would have blended in effortlessly into any crowd back home, even with the uniform he wore. The only unusual thing about him was that he wore glasses, octagonal framed. Not a style Tenchi had seen very often. Presently, they were gleaming in a way that hid the man's eyes, a curiosity since the room's light were actually quite subdued. In spite of this, Tenchi was certain he was being visually dissected in the same manner Washuu used when confronted with a problem that challenged her impressive intellect. The man raised his head slightly, the gleam disappearing and showing that he was doing no examination of the kind. He gave Tenchi a brief smile. Still, the man put Tenchi on edge for some reason he couldn't put a finger on. There was something almost Kagato-like about him, but not quite.  
  
The man behind the desk hit a button and all of the floating holograms disappeared. He rose and bowed. "My name is General Shakari Shokai. My associate is Colonel Devon Stormhaven. Please, Mr. Masaki, First Class Detective Kuramitsu, be seated."  
  
The two did as they were asked, waiting for the general to continue. They did not have to wait long.  
  
"I apologize for any inconveniences you might have undergone during your stay with us, but I assure you it was necessary, given the circumstances."  
  
Both Tenchi and Mihoshi nodded.   
  
"Excellent. I'm glad you understand. Allow me to start off by thanking both of you. Your actions have prevented a madman from getting his hands on a genocidal weapon that would have killed billions and spread untold havoc across the empire. The galaxy owes you a debt it can't begin to pay."  
  
"Actually, I do draw a salary for doing that sort of thing, so it is a debt that can and will be paid, sort of," Mihoshi pointed out.  
  
Neither of the security men knew what to say to that statement. Tenchi just smiled at her. Oh yes, he was definitely getting used to Mihoshi, in a weird sort of way. At least the things she said rarely threw him anymore.   
  
"I... see. I suppose that is true, in a fashion," Colonel Stormhaven commented once he recovered from the odd pronouncement.   
  
Shakari cleared his throat, drawing the others' attention to him once again. "In any case, we apologize for the need of the extensive debriefing, but it was necessary to determine exactly what happened. We had some facts and evidence that implied certain things, but we could not be confident in them until we had the details the two of you provided."  
  
"And what exactly did happen, sir?" Tenchi asked. "I mean, from what Mihoshi says, it's a bit strange for the Security Directorate to be wandering around space. Not that I'm complaining about your rescuing us."  
  
Devon and Shakari exchanged a glance. The general shrugged, then continued. "I think it's safe to explain a few things to you. After all you've done, we owe you at least that much. Understand, the need for secrecy is of the utmost importance. What we tell you now can never leave this room. Do the two of you understand?"  
  
"Yes, sir," both of them said as one.   
  
Shakari nodded, then began pacing back and forth behind the desk. Devon made certain to stay out of his superior's path.. "It is no coincidence that we were out here and rescued you. We've actually had Marshal Malgaunt under investigation for the last couple of months and were trying to trace his movements. Somehow, he managed to avoid our surveillance long enough to contact Stargrave and initiate this plan. We knew he was crooked, but we had no idea that it was this bad. If we had, we would have brought him in a long time ago. However, he was a shrewd man, very clever. We had to be careful, or else he would have been able to destroy any evidence of his wrongdoing and escape justice. Perhaps it's better that he died on some backwater world instead of dragging him, and subsequently the Galaxy Police, through the a messy trial that would have had been a tabloid feeding frenzy.  
  
"In any case, we suspected he was up to something big, and when we got a distress call from the base the Shihana was stored upon, and once we ascertained its destruction occurred during one of Malgaunt's inspections, we knew he had made his move. I have to admit, he managed to outfox us on this one, the sly devil."  
  
Tenchi could not help noticing the near open admiration the general seemed to have for the corrupt marshal, and was slightly disturbed.   
  
Shakari failed to notice Tenchi's slight shift in emotion and continued. "We began combing space for any trace of him and the plant. We did suspect that he might be involved with the Yagdagron, and paid very close attention to their supposedly secret communication frequencies. When we received an emergency distress call on their frequency, we headed directly towards it. You can imagine our surprise when we also discovered an emergency distress signal coming from a Galaxy Police vessel on the same planet as well. We searched the remains of Stargrave's ship, then investigated what was left of your Galaxy Police vessel. When we couldn't find you there, w-"  
  
"Is Yukinojo all right?" Mihoshi blurted out.  
  
Shakari seemed taken aback by Mihoshi's concern for the ship's AI. "Yes. His systems were intact. He's currently residing in a back up for the AI on our ship. In any case, we did a planetwide scan and discovered your location. It was quite easy, since you were the only humanoid lifeforms on the planet. You can also imagine our delight when we discovered you had the Shihana in your possession, and intact too."  
  
"You should just throw that stuff into the sun," Tenchi said. "It's way too dangerous to be allowed to exist."  
  
Devon interjected himself at this point. "It has been judged too valuable to be summarily destroyed. We need to find a cure for it first, just in case someone else has the technology to recreate the plant."  
  
"In any case, it is not ours to destroy," Shakari said. "That can only be decided by the Emperor himself, and he has already made his feelings on the matter known. We'll just find some place even more secret than the first, and this time make certain that even if there is a high level traitor in our midst, it still can't be taken over. We do learn from our mistakes."  
  
The mention of the emperor reminded Tenchi of something else. He spoke quietly, almost inaudibly. "I mean to have a talk with my great-grandfather about some things. If what Sa'bre... if what my uncle said was true, he has a lot to answer for."  
  
Shakari's eyebrows creased for a moment. Then they unfurled as he gave Tenchi a knowing look. "Oh, about Sa'ber Stargrave's little story concerning his family history, it appears it was all a complete fabrication."  
  
"What?!" Tenchi half-shouted. It didn't seem possible. Sa'bre had spoken with such conviction. And why lie at that point? What could he have hoped to gain by spinning such a fanciful story that, by his own admission, he had told to almost no one else?  
  
As though reading his mind, Shakari hit a button and a hologram appeared above the table, pointed in Tenchi and Mihoshi's direction. A number of lists of names appeared on the hologram. "We did a background search on any Allegra Masamotos that might have worked in the palace. No Allegras, and the only Masamoto that worked there was a man that was in his two hundreds when he signed on as a cook, and that was three thousand years ago. In addition, we tried running a general search on the name Again we came up with nothing. There is no Allegra Masamoto in the Empire."  
  
"But he sounded so sure," Tenchi said.   
  
"Most likely to gain sympathy from you," Devon said from Shakari's side. "He probably figured if he implied the two of you were family, and that he was a victim of the Empire, you might join him. Or at least hesitate to kill him, which would leave him with the opening he needed to kill you."  
  
"Besides," Shakari said, taking control of the situation again. "It's quite impossible for the Emperor to have fathered any bastards."  
  
"Why is that?" Tenchi asked.  
  
Shakari shifted uncomfortably for a moment. "Well, Sa'bre's claims about the Emperor's appetite for women is actually accurate, though not to the degree he implied. In any case, in order to make certain he doesn't father any children out of wedlock, the Emperor takes Bobbiticide 347. It's a form of birth control that kills sperm. It's guaranteed 99.998% effective. It's why there aren't hundreds little princes and princesses running around. He's been on it since long before Stargrave could have been born."  
  
That did seem to make sense to Tenchi. "So there have never been any 'messes taken care of', like Sa'bre implied?"   
  
Shakari shrugged. "In previous emperors' reigns, I can't be certain. They wouldn't have kept records of those sorts of actions and no one from the previous administration would admit to doing something like that, but I can guarantee Azusa certainly never has. I would never condone such a thing, and I've been the head of the Security Directorate since Azusa was coronated as Emperor."  
  
"But what about the light hawk wings?" Tenchi asked, praying that Shakari's information was right about everything.  
  
Shakari shrugged. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but even the self-proclaimed Greatest Genius in the Universe, Washuu Hakubi, could not figure out the exact reason you yourself can employ the light hawk wings, correct?"  
  
"Well yes," Tenchi reluctantly admitted.  
  
"Since, to date, no one outside of yourself as ever been able to generate the light hawk wings, including every other member of the royal family past and present, you'll forgive me if that's not really enough to go on. It is indeed a mystery, but it indicates nothing of Stargrave's true heritage, especially with the other information we have on hand."  
  
Tenchi felt as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. So his fears had been unjustified. Still, he should probably make absolutely certain and double-check with his great-grandmother. She was the Inspector General of the Ministry of Information, and independent of the Security Directorate, according to Mihoshi. He could trust her, and she would be able to find out for certain. Besides, she needed to be informed of her husband's infidelity. She might have known already, and Tenchi did feel something like snitch for wanting to tell her, but she had a right to know.   
  
Shakari sat back in his chair and cleared his throat. "There is one remaining detail we have to clear up."  
  
"What is it?" Mihoshi got out before Tenchi.  
  
Shakari seemed hesitant to say anything, but after a moment, in which he took a deep breath, he began. "You see, under Imperial law, we can't allow either of you to have any recollection of the Shihana's existence. That means memory erasure right up to the moment you met up with the Yagdagron dreadnought."  
  
"WHAT?!" Tenchi and Mihoshi shot to their feet.  
  
"You can't do that!" Tenchi shouted.   
  
"It's not fair!" Mihoshi wailed.  
  
There was obvious sympathy in Shakari's eyes. "Only the members of the Emperor's inner council, several members of the Ministry of Science, several members of the Security Directorate, and the Emperor himself are allowed to know. Everyone on this ship, but myself and Colonel Stormhaven are also going to have to have their memories erased as well."  
  
"But I'm the Emperor's great-grandson." Tenchi pleaded. He felt ignoble in trying to use his heritage to gain him favors --it just wasn't the way he did things-- but he was desperate. To lose all of his memories, especially the ones of the time he had spent with Mihoshi, was too much to ask.  
  
Shakari gave a sad shake of his head. "The royal edict is specific; no one else can know. We would even have to wipe out either of the princesses memories' if they had discovered the truth."  
  
"But I don't want my memories erased," Mihoshi wailed, tears pouring from her eyes as she fell to her knees and began groveling. "Tenchi and I spent so much time together, and it was good too, Except for the people trying to kill us and crash landing and getting wounded and not getting to the beach where we wanted to go to. But aside from that it was perfect and I don't want to forget it."  
  
Devon tried kicking Mihoshi from off his leg. "Now cut that out! You're a grown woman and a member of the Galaxy Police. You're a hero, even if no one can be allowed to know it. Try acting like one."  
  
"Not if it means giving up all of the bonding experiences I shared with Tenchi." Mihoshi remained steadfastly attached to his leg.  
  
"There is another way," Shakari said.   
  
"There is?"  
  
"Yes, Detective Mihoshi. And would you mind not pleading on my desk? I know it's rust-proof but with the way you're crying, I'm not sure if even the specialized treatment can withstand it."  
  
"Sorry," Mihoshi said as she got off the desk.   
  
The general cleared his throat. "Now, as I was saying, there is an alternative. Recently, a new technique of memory adjustment has been developed. Instead of simply wiping out one's memory, a different set of memories can be substituted. Now the procedure is over a hundred times more expensive than the standard one, but under the circumstances, since you, Mr. Masaki, are a member of the royal family, and since you both saved the Empire and countless lives, I think we can overlook the expenditure."  
  
Tenchi and Mihoshi embraced one another in joy. Shakari smiled at the look of rapture on their faces. Even Devon seemed to nod in approval.  
  
After the duo had calmed down, Tenchi turned to the pair of Directorate officers. "What sort of memories will you be putting in for the substitution?"  
  
"Instead of the Shihana, we'll change it to a shipment of pyriteiron, one of the most valuable substances in the galaxy. That should work, I think. Do you agree?" Shakari gave a questioning glance towards the duo. The looks on their faces told him all he needed. "I'll inform the medical staff of their new instructions. I think you can find your way there with little difficulty. That's all now. You're free to go."  
  
"Sure. It's no problem." Tenchi bowed at the man in appreciation, then turned to go. Just as he was almost out the door, he said. "Thanks again for going out of your way to help us."  
  
"No problem," Shakari said as both he and Devon bowed before the younger duo until the door irised shut behind them. They pair of Directorate officers remained that way for a full minute, until Devon rose and broke the silence.  
  
"It's too bad we failed to develop a type of Bobbiticide 347 that the Emperor wasn't allergic to three years earlier, then we would never have had this whole Stargrave mess placed in our hands."  
  
"That worm-eaten prick!" Shakari roared as he slammed his fist on the desk, rattling it from the force of the blow. "It's not enough that he has that perfection of divine beauty, Misaki, as his wife, but he marries that insufferably nosy alien bitch as well and still continues to sleep around with yet more women!"  
  
"I think it's his way of rebelling against his wives," Devon offered. "They do keep him on a tight leash."  
  
"Sometimes I think the dog deserves it!"   
  
It took some effort for Devon to restrain his amusement. "Calling the Emperor names like that is grounds for dismissal."  
  
"To the Nine Rings with that!" Shakari shot back. "I'm his cousin. We've grown up together all of our lives. Hell, I'd have been seneschal of the palace if I hadn't enrolled in the Security Directorate. I'll bloody well kick him in the balls when we get back if I feel like it. And I'll laugh about it afterwards too." The look he shot Devon indicated he meant every word.  
  
From what Devon could tell, regardless of Shakari's loyalty to Azusa, he still bore him ill will for the unrequited love the general carried for the Empress. According to Shakari, it went all the way back to when the three of them were children playing on the grounds of the palace. According to the general, it was Azusa who had lusted after Misaki and stole her away from Shakari, whom she truly loved. According to everyone else around at the time, Misaki had relentlessly pursued Azusa (and she had to pursue him, for he usually ran as fast as he could from her) from the time they were about eight until she finally managed to catch him shortly before his ascension to the crown. Shakari had been nothing more than a shy boy who lacked the nerve to tell her how he felt, and Misaki had seen him as nothing more than a friend whom she enjoyed tormenting frequently, especially when they were younger. Still, Shakari's loyalty was to Azusa first and foremost. Some of the actions he had engaged in in the name of the Emperor were evidence enough of that.  
  
There were matters to consider other than Shakari's future dealing with the Emperor. "You know, if the Inspector General of Information finds out we lied to her about when the Emperor started taking 347, she'll have our heads on a platter." Devon watched closely to gauge his commander's reaction.   
  
"Leave that to me. I can handle that lard-butted narf farmer."   
  
This time Devon failed to reign in his amusement as a wide grin split his face. Shakari's various (and usually creative) epithets for Funaho were always entertaining. The colonel envied his commander's inventiveness and foul tongue. Most assuredly he had never heard any other member of royal blood talk in such a manner. The very concept of someone farming narfs made Devon want to cringe as well as laugh out loud, though he did disagree on the condition of Funaho's posterior. It had always seemed quite well formed to him on the occasions that he was in the Inspector General's presence. Very nice indeed.  
  
Despite what some people theorized, the Ministry of Information worked quite independently of the Security Directorate. They did work together frequently, especially on larger and important matters, but there were very different objectives at the core of each. The Ministry took care of the day-to-day matters of the empire, from controlling the media to more important things, like the matter of Ryouko's gems. The Security Directorate did those things too, but the emphasis was more on covert operations and other, more 'dirty' work, which was kept hidden from the rest of the population. Rumors still leaked out, though, hence the poor reputation for the Security Directorate amongst the citizens of the Empire.  
  
Technically they were supposed to share all of their information with the Ministry of Information, as well as vice-versa, but both sides held out against the other, even going so far as to have a handful of low-level spies in each others' ranks. Funaho had tried several times to absorb the much smaller Directorate into the Ministry, but Azusa had remained adamant about the separation between the two departments. Openly he said it was because they each had a different emphasis upon doing the same job, which was necessary for the continued effectiveness of the Empire (which was true). In reality, it was as much to quietly dispose of potential messes the Empire had to deal with in ways that would have made the Empire look bad. Blackmail, assassinations, torture of suspected rebels, taking care of complicated and distasteful problems like imperial bastards, and similar duties.   
  
Funaho's contention was that such actions were immoral (but not illegal. The Emperor was technically all-powerful, even if the reality of the matter was different) and that it eroded the populous' confidence in the Empire. Azusa --and the Directorate-- disagreed and claimed that such things were necessary to keep things running smoothly which, in turn, made the masses happy. Ultimately, happiness was what the public wanted, and they were prepared to pay the price to receive it; they just didn't want to have the price tag rubbed in their faces was all.   
  
The only times Funaho really suggested absorbing them anymore was when she caught wind of some of the more questionable actions on the Directorate's part, and would take the Emperor to task for it. Given his generally whipped condition, he would cave in and reprimand or order all actions on some mission to be suspended. One of the worst times though, was when Funaho caught wind of what steps the Directorate had taken in disposing of the potential messes the Emperor made when he slept around with other women. It wasn't so much that Funaho disapproved of the fooling around --apparently she was willing to tolerate such actions as long as Azusa used discretion-- it was what was done with the mess afterwards.   
  
Allowing any royal bastards to exist was just plain stupidity in light of what had happened with past ones, but Funaho wasn't willing to see it that way, or give in to the Emperor's rationales. Up to that point, he had been unwilling to use any of the more popular (and effective) methods of male birth control, claiming they made him feel weak and out of sorts, but in order to give in to his wife's demands he agreed to use 347. It was shortly after using it that he discovered he was allergic to it. He ordered that a version that he was not allergic to be created. Not wanting to bother his wife with 'petty details,' no mention of that fact was made. While it was still being devised he continued sleeping around, resulting in almost a half dozen situations that the Directorate had to take care of before a version of 347 was developed that he could use.   
  
But now it appeared one of the 'problems' had somehow slipped through their screen. Now it was time to cover their tracks. Luckily, they were very skilled at that sort of thing.  
  
"What are we going to do?" Devon asked.  
  
Shakari calmed down almost instantly and considered the situation. "First, we need to erase any record of Allegra Masamoto's existence in the royal palace. Use the special backdoor programs in the Royal Archives to do it. Even the nosy bitch is unaware of that program. And I want an investigation as to how this Allegra woman slipped through our screen. It might have been a fluke, but if it was by design, then there might be some more Imperial bastards out there, and that could mean potential trouble. Officially, say we're doing an investigation into possible corruption in the Royal Medical Staff. Make sure we nail someone to add credence to it. Falsify some evidence if you have to.   
  
"I want the survivors of the Rack N'Ruin's crew disposed of as well. I doubt if they know any of the truth, but we're not taking any chances. We'll get copies of all of Malgaunt's files to make sure he didn't mention Stargrave's heritage anywhere. I sincerely doubt he'd have been sloppy enough to leave a hard copy of that sort of thing lying around, but we must be thorough. Luckily, Stargrave's body was eradicated. That means no DNA evidence. Atomize the remains of the Rack N'Ruin just to make sure. Backcheck Karastaed; make sure the mother really is dead. Stargrave kept this a closely guarded secret, so I'm inclined to believe him when he said that he only shared his true heritage with those people he mentioned."  
  
"Which means only this Autolycus creature still knows," Devon finished as he watched his superior in admiration. The man was unbelievably brilliant.  
  
"Yes," Shakari said pensively. "I truly wonder what he is. Neither of those survivors of the Rack N'Ruin seemed to know, and there's no record of such a race existing in the known galaxy. You say there's absolutely no trace of anomalous lifeforms on the planet?"  
  
"We tripled-checked it, Sir."  
  
Shakari seemed mollified somewhat at that. "Run one more check, but I doubt if you'll come up with anything. Most likely he's dead somewhere on the planet. If he had some sort of ship, he'd have used it to rescue the others and retrieve the Shihana, and we'd have a much bigger problem on our hands. Still, we'll leave a death warrant on him for his participation in the Tartarus Affair. Since that whole operation was covert, his death warrant will be too. Even that tight-assed bitch can't complain about that."  
  
"And what do we do about Masaki and Kuramitsu memories?"  
  
Again Shakari had to consider that. "We'll replace all references to Stargrave's heritage to the Royal family with some mindless revolutionary talk. Exchange the light hawk wings he used with some advanced form of energy sword and forcefield combination that we're lamenting we didn't get our hands on. Make sure it didn't appear as powerful as the boy's wings, though. After all of that's done, send a sanitized report about the whole affair to the Ministry of Information. With this new intelligence, we can send the main fleet after the Yagdagron and take care of their little would-be rebellion. We're going to come out smelling like heroes when this is all said and done. I think that should take care of all the loose ends."  
  
"Then the case of Sa'bre Stargrave will be closed at last," Devon said pensively.  
  
Shakari shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. In the end, he was nothing more than a pirate. Virtually everyone that knew him is dead. It's not like there's anyone that will miss someone like him."  
  
  
At that moment, somewhere else far, far away, Shakari's statement was proven wrong as a being of tremendous age sighed at the way events had unfolded. No matter what problems he had had, Sa'bre had deserved a better fate than that. All that potential, and in the end it had amounted to nothing, and he had lived and died as most other men did. For others that would have been enough, but for Sa'ber, it should have been so much more. It really was such a waste.   
  
With Sa'bre's passing, it was time to wander the universe once again and see if he could come across and help another being that held the potential for great change once again.  
  
After all, Autolycus had to do something to pass the time.   
  
  
Xxxxxxxx  
  
Yep. That's that for the main story. Only the epilogue to go. Will hopefully get to that before too long. Hopefully by the end of the weekend or something.  
  
  



	11. Epilogue

Last chance for comments  
  
  
Vacation Days  
Epilogue  
  
  
  
"Ohh, I can't wait to get to the beach."  
  
"Yeah, me too," Tenchi said as he finished tying the cord of his black-colored (and very baggy) swimming trunks. He double checked the cord. With the way his luck had been going, the trunks would probably be too loose and float off him once he hit the ocean or something. No way was he taking any unnecessary chances, not with the way his vacation had gone so far.   
  
Mihoshi was nearly bouncing up and down in excitement. "It was nice of you-know-who to repair my ship, wasn't it, Tenchi?"  
  
"Yes, it was." Tenchi was not enthusiastic about having to constantly refer to the Juraian Security Directorate as 'you know who,' but they had promised their silence on the matter, and Mihoshi insisted they not call the Directorate by name, even in private.  
  
After the successful meeting with General Shakari, he and Mihoshi had been sworn to secrecy about what had happened. The general had assured Mihoshi in particular that he would take care of informing the Galaxy Police about the matter, and had promised to leave out any details concerning her part in the affair. She was supposed to be on vacation, and if she had to file a report on the matter, she would be forced to call an end to her vacation and go through who knew how many debriefings. And it was not as though the Directorate had not already thoroughly interrogated and learned all they needed to know; it would have been a waste of time. Mihoshi had felt bad about not reporting to her superiors, but they had specifically given orders that they did not want to hear from her while she was on vacation, and she was ever the obedient officer. Besides, if you couldn't trust the Juraian Security Directorate, who could you trust?  
  
To help Mihoshi out, they had rebuilt her ship, leaving it in even better shape than before the crash, even going so far as do Midasize it. Even Yukinojo was placed into his new domicile without a problem, although Shakari informed Mihoshi that they purged the memory programs that had information concerning Stargrave and the Yagdagron. They left a fake diagnostic test that informed Yukinojo there had been a small malfunction in his memory bank that had wiped out the events in the last few days and that the problem had since been repaired. That had seemed to take care of everything, as near as everyone could tell.  
  
The two had landed on Aqua Regia without further incident, proving that miracles could happen. Yukinojo was happy to shut down and go on his own 'vacation' at last. Accommodations proved no problem, despite arriving over a week late from when they made their reservations. There was plenty of room at the hotel Mihoshi had selected, a very nice choice with an elegant interior and a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere (with little in the way of screaming children, or screaming aliens, as the case might have been) Mihoshi told him she had stayed at it before when she was younger and that it hadn't changed a bit since those days. After a hassle-free check in, the pair went directly up to their room. The room itself was very ornate, with tasteful ocean-oriented decorations and everything seemingly in order. There was the slight problem of the man at the front desk making a slight mistake in giving them a room with only one king-sized bed instead of the double that Tenchi had specifically asked for, but he was sure they could have it changed. However, it wouldn't be until after they had a chance to enjoy some quality time at the beach. In a pinch, he could even sleep on the floor. It was the right thing to do, after all. He and Mihoshi had already shared enough body warmth, not that it had been a bad experience, not at all. She had been pretty warm, and it wasn't as though she had tried to seduce him (while she was awake) or anything. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if they were to share the same bed...  
  
No, no. He didn't need to have any thoughts like that; they would just get him into trouble. Although, it had been kind of nice waking up next to someone. And there were other considerations. After he had feared Mihoshi was dead, he somehow, in some imperceptible way, felt closer to her. A lot closer. Actually, he now really, really wanted to spend some more time with her, even though they had already spent over a week exclusively in each other's company (not counting interrogators and people trying to kill them). It was just that for some reason it didn't feel like enough time. The whole matter was all very confusing to him.   
  
"So how do I look?" Mihoshi spun around once in a circle to show off her swimsuit.  
  
The distraction's timing would have been perfect, save that the nature of the distraction did little to ease Tenchi's thoughts. "Ah, very nice." Tenchi felt himself blush slightly. Mihoshi had chosen a considerably more revealing outfit than Tenchi had. It was a yellowish orange two-piece bikini that, while not as revealing as something Ryouko might have worn, was definitely less conservative than a suit Aeka would have chosen. He also couldn't help noticing that she filled the suit out VERY well. However, that particular thought made him realize something was... missing.  
  
"Of course!" Tenchi shouted in joy as he gave a tiny leap into the air. He went over to a nearby table and proceeded to smack his head into it. Several times.  
  
"Ah, Tenchi, why are you slamming your head into the table?" Mihoshi asked as she stared at him in confusion. "Did you leave something behind on Earth? Don't feel bad. I know when I go on vacation I always forget to take something along. I think it's that way for every race, except for the ones that never take vacations, of course. Now, I happened to notice that this time I forgot my sunglasses, but I wouldn't hit my head into a table because of that, and you shouldn't either."  
  
Tenchi smacked his head into it one more time before turning to Mihoshi, his eyes almost filled with tears. "I can't believe it. The voice in my head's gone."  
  
"What voice?"  
  
Tenchi was nearly delirious with joy. "Back on the planet, after our crash, I kept hearing this voice in my head. A pretty raunchy one, too. Sometimes it would go away, but every time I hit my head, it would come back. But now it's gone. The doctors must have made it go away. HAHA-"  
  
Tenchi's laughter was interrupted as Mihoshi broke a chair over his head. A metal one.  
  
Tenchi moaned in pain, eventually lifting himself from the floor. He was still holding his head in pain as he shot Mihoshi a look of incomprehension, "What did you do that for?"  
  
"Is the voice in your head back yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
Mihoshi picked up a second chair. "Don't worry. I'll try again."  
  
"No! Stop!" Tenchi stepped backward and once he saw Mihoshi drawing back the chair again for another swing.  
  
Mihoshi kept it poised above her head. "How come?"  
  
"That's my line," Tenchi retorted. "Why did you hit me in the head with a chair?"  
  
Mihoshi put the chair down and sat in it. "Well, since you said the voice in your head went away, and that it would come back if you hit your head, and you were smacking your head into the table, I assumed you wanted it to come back. Since it didn't seem to be working, I decided to help you out."  
  
"NO!" Tenchi grabbed Mihoshi by the shoulders and shook her slightly to emphasize his point. "I was just making sure it was gone. I don't want it back, ever."  
  
"Okay, I won't hit you in the head again. But if you change your mind--"  
  
"--you'll be the first person I go to," Tenchi assured her. The ringing in his head had stopped. It must have been becoming sturdier form all of the abuse he had taken over the last few months. It was time to get down to the beach before something else, less repairable, went wrong. "Let's go. And here." He handed her an extra pair of sunglasses. "I know what it's like to forget things, too."  
  
The pair made their way down the stairs and through the crowded hotel lobby and prepared to go out onto the beach. Tenchi was eager to get an up-close look at it. The only time he had a chance to examine the world was as they were landing, and a mile-high view of a beach did not exactly allow one to get a good impression of it, other than it was large and had no visible oil spills nearby.  
  
The pair cut through the lobby and towards the back, catching sight of the sunny exterior through the oceanside of the hotel. The two walked out the back of the hotel and onto the edge of the beach adjoining it. At a glance, it wasn't really all that different from Earth's style of beaches. There was sand. There was an ocean (whose waters were clearer than anything on Earth). There were beachgoers. There was an outdoor bar next to the hotel. There was a swimming pool next to the hotel for those that didn't like to swim in the ocean. Yes, everything was just like Earth, except for the multiple-limbed aliens, the amorphous-blobbed aliens, the aliens with the big heads, the aliens...  
  
Mihoshi giggled and spun around in a little circle, holding her head up to the skies as she basked in the warm aura of the sun. "Isn't this great, Tenchi? There isn't a cloud in the sky. The temperature is just right. The ocean is clear blue. There's only a light breeze, allowing us to enjoy the brisk salty air--"  
  
"--No one on the beach is wearing a bathing suit."  
  
"--No one on the beach is wearing a bathing suit. There's lots of food vendors. There's..." It took a moment for the actual words to set it. Using her impressive detective skills, Mihoshi examined the people in her surroundings a little more clearly. "It looks like you're right about that, Tenchi. That's odd. I distinctly remember wearing a bathing suit the last time I was here."  
  
"This particular section of Aqua Regia was converted into a nudist's beach, Ma'am. It's that way on this entire island and the adjoining ones," one of the waiters that worked the outdoor bar mentioned as he passed the pair.   
  
Mihoshi appeared relieved. "Well, that would explain it. I just knew everyone was wearing clothing last time. Better get out of your suit, Tenchi." Mihoshi began to undo the straps on her bikini top.  
  
"Whaa?" was all Tenchi managed to get out as Mihoshi's top fell to the ground. It took him a moment to collect himself, especially with the view he was suddenly receiving. "Look, why don't we stay at one of the other islands? One that has people wearing clothing."  
  
It took a moment of stared confusion before Mihoshi gave Tenchi a wide smile. "Oh, I understand."   
  
"Thank goodness," Tenchi sighed.   
  
"You don't have to worry about getting sunburned. I'll be happy to lotion you up."  
  
"That is not what I meant!" Tenchi shouted. He quieted back down once he realized everyone was staring at him because of the outburst. "What I mean is, I don't think I'm really comfortable with the idea of going out there without a bathing suit."  
  
"How come?" Mihoshi asked as she took off her bottoms.  
  
"I'd feel kind of weird." Tenchi wondered exactly why Mihoshi had suddenly seemed to have become as brazen as Ryouko tended to be.  
  
"I don't know why you would," Mihoshi said without a hint of duplicity. "Everyone else is naked too. That means being naked is normal. Now, if you were the only one wearing a bathing suit when no one else was, then you'd have a reason for feeling weird."  
  
"Well, yes," Tenchi slowly admitted.  
  
"So you should feel weird with a bathing suit on. Therefore, if you take off your bathing suit, you shouldn't feel weird."  
  
"I guess." Tenchi started to become uneasy at the course the conversation had suddenly taken. He was losing an argument with Mihoshi; that was not supposed to happen. Perhaps the Directorate had done something to him he was unaware of.  
  
It felt like he was being set up, and Tenchi suddenly found himself wishing he still had the voice in his head. It tended to be more savvy and would probably have known what was about to happen. Of course, it would also have been making all sorts of suggestive remarks about the attractive naked female in front of him. Ohh, he was thinking of Mihoshi in terms of attractiveness, not a good way to talk himself out of being on a beach, naked with her. He tried to bring his thinking around back to the original course it had been on, but Mihoshi's further prattle prevented that.  
  
"And since everyone else is nude, it only makes sense you shouldn't mind it either. Unless you have something to be embarrassed about."  
  
That caught his attention. "I do not," Tenchi spluttered out.  
  
Mihoshi continued on, as though she hadn't heard him. "Don't worry, if you're embarrassed, then we can leave."  
  
"I have nothing to be embarrassed about!"  
  
"I'll go back in and check us out." Mihoshi started to head back into the hotel.  
  
"Look here!" Tenchi shouted as he dropped his trunks and held his arms wide apart to show that he had absolutely nothing to hide.   
  
All went quiet as everyone within the sound of his shout turned briefly towards him.   
  
Someone snickered.   
  
Tenchi suddenly didn't feel quite as confident as he had a second ago.  
  
Mihoshi turned, and smiled. It wasn't a lascivious leer, but one of simple happiness. "Oh goody. We're going to stay." She grabbed his arm and the two of them went out to the beach itself, making sure to bring their swimsuits along, as well as grabbing a couple of beach towels that the hotel offered at one of their booths along the beach.  
  
Tenchi noted that about eighty percent of the inhabitants of the beach were humanoids of about the same general appearance as an Earthling. He also noticed that, unlike most of the beach-oriented shows he had seen on television and at the movies, many of the inhabitants of the beaches of Aqua Regia were not the sort he would have chosen to view without clothing. Certainly very few of them compared with either his own, fit body and Mihoshi's rather well endowed one. His pride swelled slightly.   
  
So did other things.  
  
Tenchi shifted his towel in front of him. No sense in Mihoshi, or anyone else, getting any ideas that he was perverted or something.  
  
As his initial wave of indignation passed, Tenchi's usually reserved demeanor began to reassert itself, allowing parts of his anatomy to calm down. Here he was, walking right next to an attractive, naked girl that he knew really well. Maybe he was making a mistake.  
  
No. Suddenly he realized that, well, he was being something of an indecisive weenie. Harsh words, but there was something about this whole situation that made him want to act more... mature, at least when it came to the opposite sex. Perhaps it had to do with how close to death he, and especially Mihoshi, had come. Perhaps it had to do with that part of his subconscious that had come to the fore from the concussion. As much as Tenchi was loath to admit, it had been right about a number of things.   
  
No! Not the latent bi-sexual tendencies (he hoped), but rather in his usual habit of avoiding any serious thoughts that concerned dealing with members of the opposite sex in a mature manner. Okay, seeing other men, or at least aliens that were comparable to him, made him realize he might not have been the 'biggest' man around, but he wasn't that bad either. It was normal to actually go out on dates, have girlfriends, and other things that ordinary guys around him did. It was true he had never had a real girlfriend, had never been on a date actually, but maybe it was about time he tried to do those normal things. Admittedly, he didn't want to hurt any of the girls' feelings, but none of them acted like they were going to give up on their own any time soon. That meant either continuing to semi-lead them on in the hope that matters would work themselves out, or making some sort of decision. Perhaps it was time to stop wasting everyone's time and actually make a choice. Yes, just thinking about it made him realize that, as difficult as it might be on him and the others, it was probably the right thing to do.  
  
The two began to pick out a spot, well away from most of the other beachgoers, to lie out in the sun. Tenchi thought since they had some measure of privacy, now was the time o speak his mind. He cleared his throat to catch his companion's attention. "Mihoshi, it wouldn't be fair to Aeka and Ryouko if I didn't spend any time alone with them before I made any sort of important decisions, so I'm going to have to go off alone with each of them too. But if I was forced to choose someone right now, I have to admit, it would probably be you."  
  
Mihoshi looked at him blankly. "What are you talking about, Tenchi?"  
  
An exasperated sigh escaped his lips. She would force him to spell it out. "Look, what I'm trying to say is that I can now admit that I really enjoy spending time with you, and I know I like you a lot. An awful lot. I'm not sure, but I think it might even be lo..."  
  
Tenchi trailed off as a high-pitched whistling began to fill the air. An all-too familiar whistling. Tenchi knew exactly what it meant without having to look up. Instead, he leveled his stare towards Mihoshi. "Hmm. Since you're right here in front of me, that means you're not the one that's plummeting out of control from the skies."  
  
"Yep," Mihoshi confirmed. "There was an evil mirror universe version of me that accidentally ended up in our universe once, but I outsmarted her and sent her back forever. There's no way it could be her. Besides, she used to brag about never having crashed her spaceship."  
  
The whistling grew louder.   
  
Tenchi nodded in understanding. "In light of what I was about to say, that means it can only be one, or two people."  
  
Mihoshi looked up to the sky. "Say, isn't that-"  
  
"I should imagine so," Tenchi said without bothering to look up. Judging from the pitch of the whistling, the ship would be crashing in three... two... one.  
  
*CRASH*  
  
"Zero." Tenchi looked to the large space ship that had chosen to crash in an empty stretch of the beach within fifty feet of Tenchi and Mihoshi. A door opened from within the middle of a set of black protrusions, and two women fell out of the ship before it shrunk down to the form of a cabbit.  
  
"I can't believe how much power that stinking ship had," Ryouko said as she was barely able to raise her fatigued form out of the pile of sand she had collapsed into.  
  
"And that it called upon reinforcements." Aeka was barely able to rise to her feet as well. "How many of those ships did we destroy?"  
  
"Four of the big ones, about a dozen of the ones half its size, and close to twenty five of the ones that were about the size of Ryo-Ohki." Ryouko tallied. "And now we got to crash, I mean land, and let Ryo-Ohki rest up. And I need some rest too."  
  
Aeka held the back of her hand to her head in distress, as dramatically as a princess should, just as she had been taught. "It's simply not fair. Why must we be delayed on our holy and righteous quest? Why must we be forced to go through the fire and swords of the enemies who seek to prevent us from saving the one noble soul who has touched me in a way no other could?"  
  
"Except for Yosho," Ryouko said.  
  
"Yes, except for Yo-" Aeka cut off abruptly and scowled at Ryouko. "No! That's not true! I did not harbor those feelings for my brother! What I felt for him was the affection a little girl has, one that could not understand what love truly is. It is only now, that I have blossomed into a delicate woman in the flower of her youth, that I understand what true love means. And now, you repulsive demoness, you've made me lose my place."  
  
"Saving the one noble soul who has touched me in a way no other could."  
  
"Thank you, Lord Tenchi." Aeka cleared her throat. "Yes. As I was saying. Saving the one noble soul who has touched me in a way no other could. For without him, I should wither..."   
  
Aeka froze, her eyes becoming as wide as saucers. Ryouko matched her as her eyes bugged out as well.  
  
"You mean," Ryouko began.  
  
"We've finally found you, Lord Tenchi." Aeka began to cry as she found herself before Tenchi once again. "You have no idea what we went through to rescue you from Mihoshi."  
  
"Rescue?" Tenchi and Mihoshi said together as they stared at Aeka, then at each other quizzically.  
  
"Yeah," Ryouko said as she began to hover in mid-air. "We know she nabbed you when everyone else was looking the other way. And we took it upon ourselves to rescue you from her devious, I mean, witless, clutches. Say, you're not quite as big as I thought you'd be."  
  
Aeka looked at Ryouko curiously, then realized what she was referring to. "Oh, I don't know. I never imagined Lord Tenchi would be all that big. But as Mother has always said, it's the measure of a man's heart that matters, not the size of his..." Aeka's eyes widened. "Lord Tenchi, why are you and Mihoshi naked?"  
  
Ryouko didn't bother asking as she easily put two and two together. Veins began popping out on her forehead, making a rather interesting map-like design. "YOU ROTTEN JERKS!" An energy sword formed in her hand as her eyes turned blood red. She floated towards Tenchi. "So, you two have been doing the horizontal mambo while leaving me out in the cold!" She waved the sword menacingly as she flew toward Tenchi, focusing her attention on him. She stopped when she was no more than two feet away. "I bet you think I'm going to cut you in half for toying with my heart then discarding me like a piece of useless garbage! Well, guess what!" She held the sword high above her head.   
  
"You're wrong." And with that the sword disappeared and she fell to the ground, crying. Ryouko sobbed, "I'm better than that. If you wanna choose Mihoshi over me, then that's all there is to it. I can handle that. I'm a big girl. I won't kill you or anything. I'll be just like I am now, except for destroying any Galaxy Police ships that tick me off from now on."  
  
"And I shall bow out gracefully as well," Aeka sobbed. "I won't have either of you branded traitors to the Empire or executed or any such thing, because I'm a true princess, and I'm better than that too." As Aeka finished her pronouncement, she noted one other interesting fact. "Is it just me, or is everyone else on this beach naked too?"  
  
Ryouko stopped crying and looked at the crowd that had gathered around them. "You know, I think you're right. That must mean--"  
  
"It's a nude beach," Tenchi finished for her.   
  
"Oh," Ryouko said as her and Aeka's tears dried up instantly. Ryouko looked at Tenchi, gained a sinister gleam in her eyes, then phased out of her outfit. "I guess I'll just blend in with the rest of the environment," she said as she flew up to Tenchi and wrapped her arms around him. She was giving him a wide smile that showed off her fangs when she felt someone pinch one of the hands curled around Tenchi's back. Ryouko gave a yelp and released him.  
  
"Sorry, I still need to put lotion on Tenchi," Mihoshi said.  
  
Ryouko directed a scowl at Mihoshi, but her attention was diverted when Aeka gasped, "This is not fair! I cannot be nude in public. I am of royal blood. To be in naught but my own regal flesh before the masses is unacceptable. It would be scandalous. It would be improper. It would be-"  
  
"Aeka! What are you doing here?"  
  
Aeka's jaw dropped until it nearly hit the ground. "MOTHER!"  
  
All eyes turned to see that it was indeed Misaki who had spoken. And that she was in the same state as everyone but Aeka.   
  
Misaki felt overwhelmed. "You should have let me know you were coming. I'd have been happy to greet you when you arrived. I've missed you all so much. Come here, Ryouko."  
  
Before Ryouko could do anything she found herself torn away from Tenchi and given a Misaki-sized hug, which in her unclothed state, meant having one's face buried in an impressive set of cleavage.  
  
"Let me go! People will think I'm a lezzie!"" Ryouko squirmed futily in Misaki's grasp.  
  
"Mother!" Aeka gasped in shock. "You cannot do this. There will be a scandal."  
  
"Now, now." Misaki released her hold on Ryouko and waved dismissively towards her older daughter. "I might not be the young lass I was a nine hundred years ago, but I think I'm still good-looking enough to get by without anyone cringing back in fear. Look, no sag." She handled her breasts briefly to demonstrate to her oldest daughter.  
  
"THAT IS NOT WHAT I MEANT!" Aeka roared.  
  
"You need to relax, Aeka. You could learn something from Ryouko." Misaki turned to the next person in line. "Hello, Tenchi." And proceeded to greet him in her own unique fashion.   
  
"I can't breathe," Tenchi gasped, thinking he preferred it when he had been buried in Mihoshi's cleavage.  
  
Mihoshi tapped Misaki on the shoulder. "Excuse me, but I still haven't lotioned Tenchi up."  
  
Misaki looked up. "Oh, I didn't mean to leave you out, Mihoshi." The Empress made up for her oversight by hugging Mihoshi as well. There was no telling how long the embrace would have gone, for Misaki caught sight of the last member of the party at last.   
  
"Little Ryo-Ohki!" Misaki abandoned Mihoshi and went over to the happily 'Miya'ing creature, who turned into her humanoid form and allowed herself to be embraced by the Empress as well.  
  
Tenchi sighed. Aeka appeared ready to faint from the whole situation as she continued to insist that it wasn't proper for a member of the royal family to appear naked before the public. Ryouko's full concentration was on making sure to stay well out of Misaki's reach. It appeared the vacation Tenchi had been looking forward to had come to end and the one he was going to get was just beginning. He gave an apologetic look towards Mihoshi.   
  
Mihoshi just smiled. "Oh well, vacationing with friends can be fun too."  
  
At least she wasn't depressed, Tenchi thought. That kind of acceptance deserved some kind of reward. "Come on, let's see if we can get a minute alone and you can lotion me up."  
  
And as they walked away, Tenchi had to wonder if the path he had seemed to end up pointing towards was the one he was going to journey to the end with.  
  
  
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Yep. That's it. Felt better to end it like this than with a bang (no pun intended). No, there's no plans for a sequel, though it is quite possible I'll use some of the new characters (that survived) in another fic. Any last questions and comments would be greatly appreciated, as always. Including any summations of how the entire story worked and anything else  
  
Thanks for reading. (BTW: Aqua Regia is really a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids that dissolves gold or platinum. I thought that one was kind of obvious. See, you learn something new every day ^_^)  
  
D.B. Sommer  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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